Seventh Heaven
by Sorceress Fantasia
Summary: With that first glance, Heero is instantly attracted to a chestnuthaired man whom he had seen on the streets. From nosy friends to overprotective brothers, Heero deals with it all as he gets to know Duo, the one he's completely besotted with.
1. An Eye for Aesthetics

Title: An Eye for Aesthetics

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Heero POV, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Note: This is present day Heero, which also implies a Heero who has never actually been directly involved in a war. Therefore, he is much more optimistic and normal like any present day kid. The same goes for the other characters. Hence, no OOC tags.

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

I love photography. 

The elation of putting beautiful things onto pictures is very satisfying. Whenever the button 'clicks', I know there'll be a unique picture for observation later. Just like fingerprints, no two pictures are exactly identical. The way a picture looks will be different if you take the photo a second earlier or a second later. The wind could blow suddenly and mess up your hair, or a bee could suddenly fly into the picture and freak someone out. Or even a sudden movement of your hands, and the picture would turn out to be a blur of colours. But a second earlier, every line and curve would have been very sharp.

The most important difference (in my opinion, at least) between fingerprints and photos is that the latter can be duplicated.

And I'm immensely grateful for that.

Some photos, especially those taken by professionals, are so beautiful I want to keep copies of it all nicely framed up in my room. That, and my sister who seems to have taken a liking to 'accidentally' destroying them.

I still don't understand how that picture of Mount Fuji could have ended up on the stove.

Anyway, the elation of actually snapping the shots and the elation of seeing the pictures I've taken is entirely different. Sometimes, I'd see some really beautiful things, and I would wonder if it was really 'my' art. Like that picture of the sea I took some time ago. I could see the horizon clearly, and it was the only thing separating the deep blue sea and the clear blue sky. It's all blue, but the blend of colours is amazing. When I saw the picture for the first time, the only thought that came to my mind was: did I take this? After all this time, I still find it hard to believe that even someone as unsociable as me could have an eye for the aesthetics.

My only regret about photography is that I don't have access to a darkroom, which means that I can't develop the photos myself. But even if I do, I wouldn't know how. I'm still very much an amateur, which is why I still obediently hand the negatives over to the stores now.

But how can I further develop my skills if I have nothing of aesthetic value to shoot at? And that seems to be the case recently. It's already near the end of the summer holidays, and I won't have much time to indulge in photography during term time.

I sigh. Picking up my camera, I head out. I would rather waste a roll of film outside than stay home and vegetate.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

I'll bet that people are already looking at me strangely and thinking, 'What the hell is that kid doing with a camera? Taking pictures of the air?' But they don't understand… because they don't look closely. All they have to do is look beyond the empty space to see the lovely greenery around here. The way the blades of grass lean into the breeze and the slow descent of the leaves onto the ground may strike others as boring; but personally, I think they're interesting to look at. Further inside the park, there're people walking around and happily talking. Perhaps because I'm pathetic in the social skills department, I've always envied those who can talk without a care in the world. And I like observing human interaction.

Luckily for me, summer holidays also mean that I don't have to cook dinner because Hirde will be eating out with her buddies from high school nearly every day, so I've got more time on my hands. Actually, ever since we've moved into this city, I've been the one doing all the chores, including preparing breakfast and dinner, just because I'm the good o'l elder brother. Although she's a girl, Hirde has never stepped foot into the kitchen other than for a glass of water or for the fridge.

Sometimes, I think she's taking advantage of being the younger one in the family.

Luckily our parents are providing our living expenses, or I think I would have burned myself out juggling work and school together. Although our apartment is under their names, they don't actually live with us. They're always flying all around the globe for their business, so I've always been the one looking after Hirde.

I think I'm becoming too domestic.

Handing my roll of film over to the guy at the counter, I leave the store with a note to return later in the day to collect the photos.

And I start getting bored again. Although the camera looks tempting, I think I'll give it a slide this time. Instead, I let my legs take me wherever they want to go. It isn't very long before I find myself in the busy part of the city, frowning at the sheer number of people on the streets here.

Ah, might as well observe the people. Hmm… contrary to what the manufacturer of Barbie Dolls think, pink does not look good when it's used excessively. And that woman walking towards me… I think she has enough plastic in her to start a Barbie Doll factory. Hey, so I'm biased against the doll. So what? But I really don't think it's my fault, honestly. It's some childhood trauma. Hirde used to have a room full of the thing, but I think she enjoys taking the clothes off more than dressing them up, because I could find naked dolls everywhere in the house back then. The only good thing about the dolls was that they made very good hostages.

Just as I'm about to go home and rest, I see him. The one person worthy of my full attention.

Brown hair… no , chestnut hair skillfully gathered in a neat braid. Fair complexion. Black clothes.

That sounds normal, but it isn't. It's special in a normal way. Damn, I don't even know how to describe what I'm feeling. But I can't help but feel attracted. And my eyes cannot leave him.

Suddenly, I can feel my nerves screaming at me. He's the one! The beauty I'm looking for in my photos!

I run towards him quickly, but the sudden screech and loud horn of a car reminds me of the fact that he is, unfortunately, on the other side of the busy road. When I look up again, he is already gone.

I curse. More than a little upset, I leave the area, ignoring the blatant stares and vulgarities the driver is hurling at me. It just isn't fair. Finally, after days of searching, I find someone beautiful, and I lose him on the streets. I didn't even get the chance to take a longer look!

My musings are still occupying my mind as I walk into the air-conditioned comforts of the store to get my photos back. True to their words, my photos are ready and I quickly pay up. I ran back to my apartment, too anxious to see how the pictures had turn out. Even though I missed that guy, at least I might be able to find something good in this stack. At least, that's what I've told myself to think. It'll be too depressing to think otherwise.

As I lounge in my chair, I pull out the stack and toss the paper bag onto my bed. The first few are disappointing. I might as well have been snapping at the air. The next few are somewhat better. At least, I can see something that's worth looking at. As I continuing flipping through the pictures, I'm suddenly surprised to see a mob of chestnut somewhere it shouldn't have been. I look closer.

It's him! He had been in the park earlier too!

I grin. It may only be his head at the corner of one photo, but I think that's good enough. The person in the photo is breathtaking, just like him in reality. Chestnut braid lying peacefully on his back, a few wisps flowing with the wind… I can't really see anything pass that, but my imagination brings me further. I see his sparkling eyes of… maybe blue? Pink lips? Perk nose?

I've never seen him up close, but the feeling I got just from that one glance is so special.

Smiling, I grab one of the photo frames on my desk and toss out that picture of the Grand Canyon and put in the new one. After I put the frame back, I lean back and gaze at it. Position, okay. Angle, okay. Lighting, okay. It looks wonderful. And I really hope it'll be able to stay there for a very long time. But just in case…

I pick up the paper bag and take out the negatives. I quickly find the one I need, and jot its position down on a piece of paper.

Let me see… One for the photo frame, one for my wallet, one for the photo album, one for the stove, one for the oven, one for the aquarium, one for the toilet bowl, one for permanent markers…

tbc-


	2. I spy a Mars bar on the street

Title: I spy a Mars bar on the streets

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, implied 5+H and 3+4

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

I'm pathetic. 

I actually locked up my room so Hirde wouldn't be able to get in and destroy my photos. Specifically/that/ photo.

Either that, or my sister's a monster.

After I put up that photo and tossed out the Grand Canyon, she's been after me, hounding me about how Heero – with – a – stick – shoved – up – his – ass – Yuy was finally settling down. I'm almost surprised that she wasn't repulsed by the idea of me with a guy. Not that it's happening though, but I think I've been alone for so long she thinks I should take the first person who comes along. It must be her relationship logic: Choosing a boy/girlfriend is just like choosing vegetables at a supermarket. You have to check the product carefully, especially the expiry date. But some people would arrive at the supermarket late, and be left with the not-so-fresh veggies. However, those who forget to go altogether would only get the rotten ones. Hirde is a lazy one. Should I wonder why Hirde is going steady with Wufei now?

But she's just mistaken. How can I be in love with someone I've just met? And I haven't even talked to him! It's just impossible.

I walk down the streets, strolling along, loving the feel of the breeze blowing against me. I know I'm supposed to be getting my butt down to Quatre's, but the weather's fine and I actually feel like walking today. Sue me if I'm late. It's not something important anyway. The only important thing he's doing now would be Catherine trashing him on Marvel Superheroes VS Capcom. And Trowa'll be caught in the middle. It's not nice when one is stuck between one's cousin and one's boyfriend. That's probably why he's so tall. Easier for him to get onto the fence and sit there. Or maybe it's just from all the squeezing and squashing from being stuck between them.

Or perhaps Quatre wants my help because Dorothy had just launched her newest plan of getting him into her bed. No, she's not interested in him that way. They just have a long-standing feud, and Dorothy probably just wants to get Quatre into a water bed, burst it, and watch him flail his arms around like he's going to drown before realizing the water's just up to his ankles.

As I amble along the sidewalk, I indulge in one of my favourite pastimes: people watching. My eyes dart out, searching the crowd. Yeah, that guy over there really knows how to choose his clothes. Nice jeans. Whoa! Street punks! After all these time, I still wonder which brand of gel they use to keep their hair up in spikes. Maybe I can ask Trowa, but I keep forgetting; the bangs look too natural on him. I like the metal chains on their wrists, but no, it's not for me. Just because it looks good on others, it doesn't necessarily mean it'll look good on me too. That's a lesson I've learned from Hirde. Yeah, that Brit-what's-her-name girl looks okay in her slave garb for her MTV. But for Hirde it looks… I can't even start to describe it. There's just no word for it. And she is the reason why I don't attend cosplays anymore.

"Heero!"

A voice rings out from behind, and I spin around, only to cringe at the sight.

"Relena."

She smiles widely, oblivious to my discomfort.

"What're you doing here?"

My mind screams at just how incompatible baby pink and an adult is, but I don't tell her that. Even though her fashion sense is questionable, I'm not the kind to shout at girls. Even if said girl is a stalker.

"Quatre invited me over."

"But Heero… Quatre's house is on the other side of town. And you're walking."

I shrug, willing myself to stop backing away.

"Anyway Heero, are you free tomorrow afternoon? There's this new diner I want to try out, and Dorothy's not free. She has to work or something. Please?"

Just as I'm about to refuse for the simple reason of trying to not give her hope that I'm available, I see a blur of chestnut and black around the corner. Quickly, I sprint towards that direction after muttering an apology to Relena over my shoulder, hoping to find that guy I had seen yesterday.

I round the corner, and nearly fall flat on my face in surprise. Of all things… It's a walking commercial. A guy dressed up in a half-eaten Mars bar costume (1), is walking around and offering samples of the chocolate. Yeah, it's brown and black, but it's rectangular. Apart from my childhood doodling, I haven't seen a person made up of Lego blocks. The poor chap sees me, and he walks over to hand me one. Suddenly, I feel like those anime characters shown on TV. You know, where this big drop of sweat look-alike appears on top of their heads? Yeah, that one. But I take the chocolate anyway.

As I bite into the already melting brown goo, I sigh. So much for meeting him. But suddenly, I see another flash of brown and black. And this time, I'm sure it's a human, unless animals have started to stand up on their hind legs and wear black shirts. So I run towards the person, and grabbed his shoulder.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?"

Damn, it's a her. And she looks irritated. But the gruffly guy beside her looks even more irritated though.

"Sorry, go the wrong person," I explain, and quickly scamper off. As much as black and brown reminds me of the guy I'm looking for, I do not want to sport a black eye and a brown bruise later.

One street later, I lean against the wall and sigh. Maybe I should just take a bus and go to Quatre's. At least it's safe there. Rolling my eyes, I get in line for the bus. And I wait. And wait. And wait some more. Just when I'm seriously contemplating getting a bazooka and threaten the bus to arrive, it finally comes along, spewing grey smoke like it had puffed the wrong end of a cigarette. Can you even do that though? I'm not too sure. I don't smoke. But my mind likes to mutter crap when it's bored.

As I'm about to get up the bus, I see him. On the other side of the road. No wonder I didn't see him earlier. He's wearing white today. Geez. And he's around a corner!

I hastily leave the queue and try to cross the road from behind the bus, but the smoke from the exhaust pipe chokes me and I cough like the time when Hirde had replaced my toothpaste with wasabi. And people wonder why air pollution is getting worse. When I finally do get over to the other side, he's already gone. Again. Damn.

And my bus is long gone. Double damn.

Just then, my cell phone rings and I nearly drop it in my haste to get it out of my pocket. I put it at my ear, and I can feel my eardrums vibrating from the loud voice on the other side of the line.

"Heero! Where are you?" Trowa. Figures.

"Still waiting for a bus," I reply, quickly getting back into the line. "What's wrong?

"You're late! Very late! Quatre told you to come over by 3! It's almost 5 now!"

"Sorry, I got caught up in some… things," I say. In my leisure walk, I had forgotten all about Quatre's tendency to whip up a fuss when he gets worried. Add that to my habit of arriving early for most of my appointments, you have a Quatre who's almost freaking out. I pity Trowa and Catherine who are no doubt holding him back from calling the police and file a missing person report.

"I'm coming over now. I'll be there in… half an hour. I'll treat you guys to dinner, okay? By the way, tell Quatre to stop freaking out." And I disconnect the call.

Sigh. I'm pathetic. And my wallet will be even more so when I get over to Quatre's.

tbc-

(1): I'm not sure if things like this actually happen, but well…

Last revised 28th June 2005


	3. Boycotting the Library

Title: Boycotting the Library

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, implied 13+11

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Note: I'm not trying to stereotype librarians or anything. In fact, I was a librarian once, in and outside school. And one of my favourite things about the job was to ask the kids to shut the hell up. :P So…

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

Books. 

I guess it was only a matter of time that I had to consult books in order to learn more about photography. So here I am, in a public library, flipping through thick, wordy text. Sometimes, I think things like this dampen the leisure gained from photography. It's irritating, but books are the only things I can turn to now, considering that Treize is not in the country.

Last I heard, he's in Japan worshipping his camera. At least that was the general idea I had gotten from his last postcard. And I can just imagine Une, his girlfriend, lugging their luggage behind him while he frolics around like a butterfly in a garden snapping pictures. Treize's like that. He'll forget just about nearly anything when he has got a cam in his hands. Even booking a hotel room. Which I think, accounted for his complaints about his blackened right eye in that postcard.

Une should have known better.

Sighing, I turn my attention back to the book in my hand. I'm almost overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information written. Composition? Light? Focusing? Exposure? Well, I think 'light' should be the easiest to understand, and I flip to that section. Okay… I understand intensity… I understand colour… I think I understand focusing… Yeah sure, I understand all these. But I'm not too sure if I can actually apply it when I'm holding the camera in my hands. I'm strange like that. Understanding? Fine. But application? What the-?

I knew there was more to snapping photos than just clicking the button, but all these techniques and things to look out for when taking a picture are killing my brain cells. Maybe I should just stick to the kiddy sections. Or try contacting Treize and ask him for help. In fact, I think I should do that if just to check if Une has murdered him yet. As gentle as Une normally is, she's scary when her violent tendencies surface.

I put the book back onto the shelf. But I /think/ I've put it on the wrong one, because this guy with a black nametag on his vest glares at me, marches over to grab the book and put it on the next shelf. As he continues with the shelving, I'm almost tempted to grab a few more books and stuff them into the shelf behind. Or maybe just throw them all into the book drop. He can glare all he wants, but he can do nothing to me. Ha! Beat that, mister!

I suppress that childish thought and leave the section, escaping that librarian's glare of doom. What's wrong with his eyes anyway?

As I'm contemplating about returning to the literature section, which is the primary reason of this visit to the library actually, I spot him. That guy I've been after since that day on the streets. That guy with the chestnut braid. Mars. It may sound weird, but I've taken to calling him that, after that Mars bar guy I saw yesterday. But maybe it isn't such a good idea, because now it's giving me ideas. Like his braid is melting chocolate and dripping down the chocolate wrapper. Then again, chocolate bars don't melt to that extent. Maybe he's a chocolate sundae then.

Anyway, Mars is walking down the flight of stairs to the first floor, holding a few books in his hands. From the way he moves, you'd think he's floating. But the sound of his boots squashes that thought almost immediately. His black jeans are a loose fit, but strangely, I seem to be able to see a little curve around the hips. It must be my imagination, because I sure as hell don't have x-ray eyes. Nice shirt too… And his hair… it's still woven into a braid, and the braid is pointing downwards, like it's saying, 'Hey! I'm here!'

Yeah, he's there, and I'm on the second floor, a little far away from the stairs.

Quickly, I run towards the stairs. But a hand on my shoulder stops me and I turn to see who in the world is trying to stop me from getting to Mars. I should have just shrugged the hand off, because it's the grumpy librarian again. It seems to be a cosmic rule that librarians will not stop the wailing children running about or the guy talking into his cell phone. They will only tick off the person who has something important at hand. Namely, me. Damn.

"Hey! No running in the library!"

"Yeah, yeah. I know, I know," I reply offhandedly, and try to leave again.

But he gives me a deep frown like I owe him a millions dollars, and he continues to tick me off. I think he just likes it. Sadistic jerk.

"Do you know what running in the library means? You are disturbing the other patrons in the library who are trying to read! Or did you not see that big sign over there?" He points to the white signboard on the wall.

I roll my eyes. Newcomer. "In case you can't read English, it says 'No talking in the library'. I wasn't talking."

At least he has the decency to blush and look contrite. "No! It means that you're not supposed to make any noise in the library! When you run, you're producing some noise too!"

"Well, you're making a lot of noise yourself!" I hiss, and run off. One thing, I want to piss him off even more. Another, Mars is downstairs or perhaps he has already left. The second thought irks me, and I run faster.

Once I'm on the first floor, I quickly glance around. No, Mars is not around. I start to search around in the various sections. I skip the kid's section though. Unless he has been genetically modified or genetically engineered like that Dolly sheep, Mars looks like he's around my age. So I start with the teenage fiction section. Again, I skip the girl's section and go straight to the guy's. I don't think it's possible for a guy his age to be reading Sweet Valley or the Babysitters' Club. But no, he's not around. Neither is he in the non-fiction section. Ten minutes later, when I find myself back at the bottom of the stairs, I finally accept the fact that he's not here anymore. Again. Is it just me, or is there a pattern here? I'm almost tempted to go try my luck at the kid's section, but I knock that idea off.

As I'm standing there, still looking around and hoping to see him somewhere, my mind runs off again. Honestly, I have no idea why I'm doing this. I mean, yeah, Mars is good looking… actually, I'm not even sure about that. Since I've first seen him, he has been eluding me and I've never really gotten a good look at his face. Even the photo I have of him is so unhelpful in this aspect, because he was pretty far away from me that day. So far, the few things I know about him is that his chin is a little sharp, his hair is beautiful and he has a good fashion taste. All I've been really 'seeing' comes mostly from my imagination.

I don't understand. How is it that one look on the streets made me… get hooked onto him? If Hirde was here, she would be imitating cupid and trying to shoot an arrow. It's stupid. How can a little boy fly on a pair of wings that are too small for his size? Hirde's just being childish. There's no such thing as cupid. So the idea of me being shot by his arrows is even more ridiculous.

I am not in love. I am just looking for someone beautiful. Yeah, I'm looking for someone beautiful.

But I've not actually met him yet.

What is wrong with me?

As I step out of the library, I nearly tumble down the stairs. Thinking too much tends to make me unwary of where I'm going. But today, the wind is cooling, and the sun's just great. I think I'll just walk home. And maybe I'll see Mars on the streets again.

Stupid librarian. I'm boycotting this library.

tbc-

Last revised 28th June 2005


	4. Heavenly Matched Valentines

Title: Heavenly Matched Valentines

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. All names and songs mentioned do not belong to me either. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

Unbeknownst to many of my friends, I adore music. 

It is one of my other loves apart from photography, and my love for it has been around for far longer than the latter. But no, you won't see me dancing to the tune of Avril Lavigne's 'Sk8ter Boi' or the likes. Hirde can try all she wants, but I'm not succumbing to pop ditties. Some of them sound so… crude, like that rapper's who has dissed nearly the whole of planet pop. I think some singers are already dreading the day they'll get onto that guy's insult list. Other pop songs sound… suggestive. If not the song, then the MTV featuring the singer in clothes that reveals more than it covers.

Sure, there are some really nice pop songs, but still… I'm not interested.

What I'm interested in is new age.

New age music is mostly soothing, heartfelt, and the perfect genre to comfort and uplift a tired mind and soul. It is mysterious and deep. It is as smooth as silk and as tranquil as a spring breeze. It is what lures me to sleep at night, and what wakes me up in the morning.

It is also what Hirde interprets as classical music. That's probably why she thinks I'm uncool.

But really, I think music serves to relax us. So if new age relaxes me, it's the one for me. There's no such thing as cool and uncool types of music. Music is music. While the music we listen to causes others to label us as a certain type of people, music itself does not.

I used to listen to classical though, and I still do. But I'm mostly a new age fan nowadays. However great the music is, listening to the works of composers ages past does get boring occasionally.

I remember a few months ago, I had gotten a little fed up listening to the dramatic piano and violin pieces and I wanted to try something new. I approached Hirde for help first, since she was my sister and the closest in proximity, and my eardrums nearly doubled over in pain when she insisted that I listen to some Christina what's-her-name's song. I knew better after that. She then tried to help by asking Wufei, but his CDs are a big no no, because it's all Chinese pop stars. I don't like listening to things I don't understand. My next attempt was to try out Treize's music collection. It was fine the first few days, but if I had to listen to that opera one more time, I'll kill myself.

But it was Zechs who dealt me the killing blow by blasting my hi-five set with trance and club music. I swear, that guy just loves to torture me. Who would have thought that a grown man of nearly 23 could be so petty to remember a prank I played on him 10 years ago? It wasn't even intentional. When I had brought my pet frog to his house, I had no idea it would escape, much less jump into the oven and land up in Zechs' dinner. I mourned for the frog, okay?

Just when I thought it would be safer if I just went back to classical, Quatre hooked me up to new age music.

He had invited me over to his house that day, and he tried to play a Kevin Kern tune on the piano. I stress: 'tried' is the operative word here. God, Quatre is amazing when it comes to the violin, but he absolutely murders the piano.

When he finally finished the piece, Catherine started to comment on his piano skills, although I think 'criticize' is a more appropriate word. Anyway, while they were debating heatedly (Quatre insists that he never argues), Trowa silently led me aside and shoved me an album, telling me that I should go listen to the original piece.

However disbelievingly, I did. And I got addicted.

And now my list of favourite new age musical artists has extended to include Lorena Mckennit, Enya, Bond, Vanessa Mae, and Enigma, although a Kevin Kern CD is still my first choice.

Which is exactly the reason why I'm currently going into HMV, looking for his latest album 'More than Words'.

I step inside the store, and move to the third level where the new age section is at. Once there, I eagerly pick up the headphones and have a sample of the album. Almost immediately, I'm awash in a realm where music is everything, from the heavens to the seas. Every note plucks at my heartstrings. The melody is wondrous.

By the time I take off the headphones, I've already made up my mind. I'm definitely getting the album, and that 'Where Paths Meet' is my song of the month.

I nearly frown with disgust when I reach the counter at the ground floor, the pop album that Hirde wants in my hands along with my Kevin Kern's. The queue is so long it'll take at least 15 minutes to get to the front. Sighing, I get into the line. Although I have nothing pressing at hand, queuing up is not the way I want to spend my time. I'd rather be doing something more productive.

Of course, my eyes get restless when I'm bored, and they start searching for attractive people. Like the blonde guy over at the nearby shelf. His eyes are an icy blue that would have sent penguins flying, and his faint grin looks as though he's up to no good. Simply put, he looks like someone who would murder anyone that even considers cracking a blonde joke.

The brunette a little far off doesn't look too bad either. Bright hazel eyes… pink cheeks… slender body… Yeah, she's quite a good-looking one too. Her hair's a little too short for me though. I'd prefer someone with longer hair.

Something inside me reminds me that Mars has long hair. I like the length of his hair too. Could this be the reason why I'm attracted to him in the first place? Because I have a hair fetish? Hirde knows that. When she was younger, I used to make her keep her hair long so I could brush it out and experiment with it. I think I wanted to be a hair stylist then, and she was the perfect doll to play with. I mean, she was too young to understand how stupid she looked with a couple of loose pigtails all over her head. Or even the horrendous act of tying those pigtails with ribbons of at least ten different colours that clashed like water and fire.

That must be the reason why she's been insisting on keeping short hair for the past few years.

Anyway, I have to admit that I like Mars' long silky tresses. At least, it looked silky under the sun that day.

Then, the person behind me in the queue nudges me forward, reminding me of the fact that I'm queuing up to buy an album. I tend to shut down on everything else when I'm thinking. I look up, and I'm a little surprised to find myself still a little distance to the counter. The cashier is working a little slow for my liking.

I look at her. She's dressed up in the normal HMV uniform with the pink letters sewn over her left chest. Neat enough. But the metal rings and chains covering her hands and neck, and her facial features all seems to me that she is very young. Perhaps only Hirde's age or maybe even younger. Must be a part-time worker working over the summer holidays then. And she's probably new; anyone can get that from the unaccustomed manner in which she handles the purchases and the cash register. It just screams inexperience.

After some time, I finally find myself at the counter and I hand the CDs over to the cashier. She takes it with a critical eye, like she despises the music, and slowly scans the barcode over the system. However, the system seems unable to read it, and the cashier fumbles with the album, moving it this way and that way.

I sigh; it seems that the purchase will take a little longer. I gaze around again, hoping to see that young brunette again. Vaguely, I wonder if I can convince Hirde to get that haircut. However, she's no longer there. Instead, I see a familiar braid.

Mars is leaving the store.

If this isn't a public place, I think I'll scream. But I /am/ in a public place, and I have a composure to maintain. I turn back to the cashier.

"Can't you be a little faster? I'm in a hurry here!"

She just rolls her eyes, stuffing the things into HMV's trademarked plastic bags. "I'm going as fast as I can! Just wait a little!"

I push the cash into her hands, and she opens the cash register. I swear she's taking her own sweet time looking for the change. Either that, or she flunked her math classes in school.

When she finally gives me my change, I grab it, throw it into the plastic bag and rush out of the store. Just as I have expected, Mars is already far-gone. I don't even have an inkling of an idea of where to begin looking. Forget it. If the pattern keeps up as it has in the past days, I'll be seeing him again tomorrow.

Geez.

I get over to a bus stop, and before long, my bus arrives. I get on it, and slump into a quiet corner of the bus. Flinging to backpack to my side, I unzip it and pull out my disc man. With a little trouble, I pop in my latest purchase and hit the 'play' button, starting from track 5 since I'd sampled the previous tracks in the store. Almost immediately, I hear the music flowing out and I feel the peace of the music. The bus drives along the busy roads, but I can care less. The music is taking away all my attention.

Just then, a certain track completely captivates me. It is a tender melody that threatens to drown me in a swirl of peaceful rhythms. Out of nowhere, an image of Mars appears in my mind's eye again. I can almost see him gazing at me with his eyes that are perhaps a bright shade of blue, and he smiles at me with his pink lips. His chestnut braid has been unraveled, and it spills over his back like a waterfall of silk.

I'm almost touching him. I can see it. I can feel it. But a sudden jerk of the bus jerks me out of my fantasy as well. I nearly choke on the fact that I'm fantasizing about someone I've barely met. Still feeling a little shocked, I pull out the album and flip it to the back. Track number 9… "We all fall in love sometimes".

Is this fate's way of giving me advice?

If it is, I hope that Mars' and my paths will meet after the rain tomorrow.

tbc-

Last revised 28th June 2005


	5. Persecute Heero Day

Title: Persecute Heero Day

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, implied 6+9

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

10th March, 2003. I officially declare that this is the day my PhD, better known as 'Persecute Heero Day', arrives. 

Maybe persecute is too harsh, but I'm nearly at a loss for words after all that has happened. If I'm supposed to be more positive about life, I guess I could say 'Pamper Heero Day'. Yeah, sure. Fate pampers me in the most special of ways that is so unique I think I'm the only one that gets the treatment. I feel sooo privileged.

It all started this morning, when I had gotten off the wrong side of bed. Literally. I stepped on a misplaced book, slipped, nearly did a split, and fell flat on my butt. That book must have slipped from my hands last night when I had fallen asleep while reading it. So that, I accept. I was careless. But I cannot believe my carelessness when I brushed my teeth. I mean, I know I'm not a morning person, but that is just too much! I actually didn't notice that Hirde had changed my toothpaste to wasabi again, and I nearly choked to death! Damn, but that thing is just too spicy in a choking way. Breakfast was another disaster in itself. I lost a dozen eggs, a plate and a bottle of honey syrup. Not to mention the chore of having to get the pancake batter cleaned up.

And that was just at home.

To add insult to injury, I missed my bus by a mere second. It's not that I'm in a hurry or anything; I just like waiting as much as I like riding in Relena's pink monstrosity. I know that car is expensive; I know that car is posh, but I've had enough of people looking at me like I'm Ken going to one of Barbie's dollhouses.

When the bus finally arrived, and just as I was about to board it, I finally noticed that my wallet was not where it's supposed to be. My wallet was still sitting blissfully on my nightstand.

Salt is nice when you're flavouring your food. Salt is not nice when it's rubbed into your injuries.

My home-alone wallet was the reason why I had to trudge back to my apartment in a hot temper. The damn thing had better be worth it.

Twenty minutes later, I found myself back in line waiting for the bus. In one piece, I'm glad to say. You wouldn't believe what happened to me back home. By the way things were going, I wouldn't be surprised if Max, the dog next door (1), rushed up and bite me in my foot, had the door been opened. By the way, my bus ran off a second before I arrived… again. Man, I'm starting to think I should have just stayed in bed today.

Anyway, just in case you're wondering why the hell I am torturing myself by waking up, I have a game of King of Fighters to finish with Trowa and Zechs. But from the way things have been going, I think I can say with certainty that I will get my ass kicked to hell and back.

I can almost roll my eyes at the way I'm going to spend my day.

Sometimes, I think that I really don't have a life. I mean, during term time, I finish my school assignments way before the deadline, seldom get into trouble with the teachers, and go home after a trip to the school's gym. At home, I cook, I wash, I iron, I vacuum, I dust… the one thing I don't do is laundry, because Hirde does that. My social life seems to only consist of hammering on the controller of Quatre's game consoles, a few games of pool or bowling… I don't think there's anything much past that.

If anyone knows where I can download a life, please drop me a note.

The only thing I really like about having 'no life' is that I get to see people like Zechs rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off while he flits from girl to girl, looking for help to finish his assignments and meet the deadline. Unfortunately, ever since Zechs hooked up with Noin, that situation has changed drastically. Well, not /that/ drastically. The 'flit from girl to girl' part is, of course, no longer in use, but that part where he rushes around like a headless chicken still happens from time to time.

But really, my main point is that, I don't seem to have a life. At least, that's what the other guys keep telling me. And they have been trying to 'rectify' the problem. They've tried dragging me into disco pubs, which they eventually gave up when all I did there was to sit and rot at the couches. The music's too loud anyway. Actually, they tried quite a few other things, but the worst was when they set me up for blind dates.

I think Quatre was just jumping at the opportunity to baby someone, even if that someone is me. But I guess I can't blame him; he's never had a chance to look after someone since his 29 sisters do enough of that for him. Just what were his parents thinking when they had all those children? Extinction of the human race because of a huge decline in world population?

Geez.

Just when my brain cells are protesting about the excessive exercise (they probably run on the treadmills a lot just to be fit enough to keep up with my thoughts) when the damn bus finally arrives. Without hesitation, I climb aboard. Immediately, I feel that something is out of place. This bus shouldn't be so empty during this time… But I'm too tired to care, and I just slide into an empty seat at the back.

Of course, fate just does not like dealing me breaks. Even on a bus, things can still go terribly wrong. For instance, at the junction, instead of going straight, it turns left.

"What the-?" I splutter. Yeah sure, so a black cat might have crossed my path this morning, or I could have walked under the ladder, but my luck today is just unbelievable.

"You haven't taken this bus in a very long time now, have you?"

I turn. The woman sitting behind me has this most irksome smirk sticking to her face, her eyes twinkling like she knows what's going on. Well, she probably does, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to wipe that grin off.

"Haven't in a while."

"Aa… That's probably why you don't know that this bus just changed its route a couple days ago. (2)"

Fate just loves me, I guess. But at least I'm not the only one. From the woman's tone, I must be the latest in a series of unfortunately ill-informed commuter.

I stay seated, at least until the next bus stop. In the mean time, I dig out my cell phone from my pocket and make a call to Quatre's. He'll get all worried because I'm late, and then the rest of the guys will start getting worried for him. I don't want to suffer through another bout of Trowa's silent glares. The ones I got the other day are enough to sustain me for quite a bit.

"Zechs?"

"Heero? Where are you? It's already 2pm. Are you coming or not?"

"I got on the wrong bus. Give me another half an hour at the very least." Well, that isn't the exact reason, but much shorter to say than the real one. So that's it. I got on the wrong bus. Period.

"Wrong bus? God Heero, did you forget your glasses?"

"Well, you forgot to loan me yours, Zechs," I retort, smirking. The blonde peacock hates to be reminded that he hasn't got perfect vision like me.

"I don't wear glasses."

"You wear contact lenses."

I think that if it isn't for the fact that the bus has pulled over, the banter will never see an end. But the real reason isn't because of the bus stopping. Rather, I mutter a curt apology to Zechs, telling him that I'm not going over and that I'll give them a treat sometime soon because of a certain someone boarding the bus.

Mars comes up, headphones covering his ears, and he takes the seat near the front.

I smile. Maybe fate does like to pamper me. In a good way too.

tbc-

(1): I'm not kidding; my neighbour's dog is really called Max. He's a cute little thing… when he's not barking like crazy, that is.

(2): This has happened to me before, and I would have gotten lost had the bus not eventually turned back to a familiar district. /sweatdrops/

Last revised 28th June 2005


	6. There's Always Tomorrow

Title: There's always tomorrow

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing and naming this part!

* * *

I peer down the road, hoping to catch a glimpse of the damn bus. No, still no sign of it anywhere. 

I sigh, looking at my watch again. 1.45 p.m. The bus should be here anytime soon. It had better be, or I'll curse it to hell and back. This summer heat is really getting to me, and I'm already perspiring like… I dunno… like a stream? The sun's blasting the earth like it's trying to fix lunch, and I'm just another random poor guy stuck in this giant microwave.

Che.

Yes! The bus is here! Finally!

Quickly, I scramble up the bus and almost immediately, I feel the cool breeze of the air conditioner and I slide into a seat near the back. I like the back. It's quieter, and you can actually see almost everyone in the bus. Well, and I admit that the latter is the main reason for my choice today.

I'm placing a big bet on my luck today, and I hope I'll win something in return. At least, let me get on the correct bus so I can see Mars again! I'm really hoping that he'll be taking this bus again.

Yesterday, when I found him on this bus at this time, I thought I was dreaming. I mean, after 5 days of eluding me, it's really a little shocking to find him so easily and by such a quirk of fate just because I had taken the 'wrong' bus. The only thing that bothered me was that I hadn't paid much attention to his face yesterday because it took me quite a while to realize that he /really/ was Mars. And by the time the fact slammed into my face with a healthy dose of epiphany, he had already slid into a seat near the front of the bus, and I could only content myself with looking at his back.

The only thing that I know for sure now is that his hair is a very pretty shade of chestnut.

You must think I'm stupid not to approach him when he's like… within 10 meters of me. I blame that on… I'm not even sure where I got my pathetic social skills, especially when it comes to befriending someone. Is this sort of thing hereditary? If it is, I guess I could shove the shit-load of blame onto my parents. My father, most probably. But really, I think that's not the main thing here. The problem with me now is that I had absolutely no idea on how to even start talking to Mars, let alone getting to know him.

Moreover, he had a set of headphones stuck to his ears. The last time I checked, it's rude to talk to someone who has a pair of headphones on their heads. I tried talking to Hirde once when she had hers on her head, and she blatantly ignored me. When I tried to take off the frigging headphones, she nearly decked me for it.

Che, that's what a guy gets for pampering his sister.

So, no, I didn't try to talk to Mars. Which is why I'm currently sitting in the same bus as I did yesterday, hoping to see him again.

I'm just worried that he won't be taking this bus today, or he'll board it at a different time. If that's the case, I'll wait at the bus stop where he alighted yesterday.

Quatre knows about my obsession now. When I had failed to turn up at his place yesterday, he had, according to Catherine, freaked out because I was known for keeping my promises and of course, appointments. So he called me last night, and proceeded to rip every piece of information out of me. Actually, I would say that he coaxed everything out. There's just something about him that it's hard to deny him nearly anything. He could threaten you so subtlety, but his way with words would make you think that he had merely been cajoling.

And his first reaction was silence. Followed by a surprised 'Oh my god!' Or 'Oh Allah!' Whatever. I didn't actually catch the sentence because my eardrums were ringing at the sheer loudness of his scream and I had to take the earpiece away from my abused ears. Anyway, he is now convinced that I'm in love and I'm very sure that the piece of news will be the hottest topic in school tomorrow when the summer holidays ends.

That Quatre. You don't see him get so excited over his own birthday. If I visit him now, I'm pretty sure he'll want to celebrate the thing like a god damn event.

Well, actually, Quatre might be right. With all those dreams featuring an imagined Mars, I know that I'm attracted to his body at least. Furthermore, I have a severe hair fetish and Mars' long hair adequately solves that. But then again, I still don't know him as a friend. I suppose I'll have to know him first before I can be sure if I'm in love with him. And that just brings me back to my current predicament.

Where is he?

The bus comes to a halt at the stop where he boarded yesterday, and I'm almost praying that he'll be here.

I can just dance in joy when I see him coming up the bus. I know that description's lame, but it's the best I can think of when my mind's going on overload from sheer relief.

I look at him closely, and immediately realize that all my fantasies about him are wrong. His eyes aren't blue. They're a lovely shade of violet, almost sparkling in the light. His nose's straight, and not as big as I had imagined. And his lips are a lush red instead of the pink I had envisioned. His complexion's a little tanned - just a little, not too much- unlike the translucent pale white skin my mind's eye had given him. And he looked just as tall as I am.

Even his hair… it's not only chestnut. It's chestnut with streaks of golden and red running down his neat braid.

Beautiful. Even more attractive than I had imagined.

And he's only dressed in a black shirt flowing out of his faded jeans. What is it about him that makes even the simplest clothing look so special?

The only thing I'm not that excited about is his headphones. Yeah, he's still got them on his head and I know that that'll just impede our conversation. If there's one in the first place. He's so beautiful that I'm almost thinking of backing down. A beautiful person and a socially inept guy? I don't think so.

Still, I want to try. Maybe I'll just get lucky? Who knows?

Quickly, I leave my seat for the one just behind his. Luckily, the bus is rather empty and I can do that fairly easily, without the grumpy old lady complaining of restless young men or the horde of people blocking my way.

Once I'm behind him, I catch a whiff of Japanese green tea. It must be his shampoo. Hmm… it smells wonderful. I like green tea. It soothes my nerves.

The next thing I notice is the music that's blasting out of his headphones. It's loud, like the percussions are being abused and someone's shouting over the ruckus.

I sigh. Now that I'm behind him, I still have no idea what to do. I try calling him.

"Hey."

I don't think he hears me. I try again.

"Hey."

Nope, still doesn't register. That damned music.

I'm not really willing to nudge him or anything. What if he gets mad?

I sigh again.

The bus nears his stop, and he gets up to the door. When they open, he alights, and I'm mentally berating myself like crazy.

Tomorrow, I tell myself. Tomorrow.

tbc-

Last revised 28th June 2005


	7. Forget the Headphones

Title: Forget the headphones

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Duo POV, fluff, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

I love music. 

It's amazing how a few sounds that probably mean nothing alone can sound so heavenly when put together. The lyrics too. God forbid the words actually mean something. Sure, some do. But when you look at the music industry today, you'll notice that most don't. In fact, some songs have lyrics that borders on pure stupidity. It doesn't really matter though. After all, music is melody. The words are just there to add some bite and coax naïve little girls into going crazy for the singers.

Lyrics mean nothing to me. I don't listen to music anyway. I /feel/ music.

The way the beat and rhythm of a tune synchronizing with my body's natural vibration relaxes me, and I can forget about nearly anything during these moments. Like the tons of homework that are due tomorrow, my squeaky teachers and those not so funny cracks made about my braid today. I can forget all about those, once I get my headphones over my head and the music humming into my body. I can even forget about the fact that I have to get off the bus.

I've heard others say that politicians are some of the most influential people. I don't disagree, because that is true. They are the ones who decide on many things on behalf of the common people. But I'd like to think that musicians are very much so as well. The music they compose reflects their emotions, and in turn, induces us to feel the same. An upbeat, catchy tune is more likely to put someone in a party mood than a soft, melancholy one. A peaceful, quiet melody calms and soothes our minds.

That's why I love music.

But today, I think otherwise. As my hands reach for my disc man inside my bag, I withdraw them. Perhaps it is time to listen to the sounds of the world around me. After I got addicted to music years ago, I haven't had an opportunity to truly listen to my surroundings. And now that I think about it, I may have lost touch with nature.

My ears pick up sounds that were previously drowned out by my headphones. I hear the low rumbling of the bus' engine. I hear the soft giggling of the two teenage girls in the seat beside mine. I hear the soft but harsh grunting of the man into his cell phone just a few seats before me. I hear the hustle and bustle of an outdoor diner. I hear the rustle of the wind.

I smile as a wisp of hair that has escaped my braid whips my cheek in a light caress.

For once, my eyes are not closed as my music drums into my ears, and I can see the things happening outside. I see the trees falling backwards in a haze of green as the bus moves. I see a red sports car zooming off in the other side of the road, leaving a line of dark smoke. I see young children bouncing out of school, their parents holding their hands and taking them home. I see people jaywalking, scurrying across the road like they're mice with a cat hot on their trails. I see the bright glare of the green man, and the road is covered by a flurry of people.

Things inside are not nearly as interesting. The bus I'm taking looks very empty… and quiet. Apart from those two teenage girls and the man, the rest of the commuters look subdued. And that's the nice way of putting it.

The bus comes to a stop, and the doors fling open in a loud 'whoosh'. The two girls scamper off, leaving the bus in near desolate silence as it drives into a quiet district in the suburbs. I sigh. So much for listening to the world.

But someone boards the bus, and I silently hope that he or she will make some noise. I still have quite some time before the bus reaches my destination.

It's a man. He looks young, probably in his early twenties. His clothes redefine 'fashion'. A green tank top that shows the rippling of his firm torso and a pair of worn-out, faded blue jeans clinging onto his legs would probably look strange on anyone else, but it just looks shaggy on him. His wild mob of hair adds onto that effect.

Just as I'm thinking that he will be an interesting character, I see the frown on his face. And I'm instantly bored. He'll be just another sulky man on the bus, I surmise.

I look out the window again, hoping to catch a glimpse of something worthy of note, and I nearly jump when someone slides into the seat just beside mine. I turn. It's him.

He smiles a little nervously, and I grin back. Not sulky, but definitely shy. Now that I take a second glance at him, I notice that he's actually pretty good looking. Cobalt blue eyes, straight nose, pink lips. Yeah, he looks pretty good. But still, he's too quiet for my taste, and I turn back again.

Just as I'm about to doze off, I hear something.

"You forgot your headphones today?"

"What?" I ask, and I'm almost surprised that it's him talking. He doesn't strike me as someone who would talk to strangers.

He suddenly looks unsure of himself, and he cups his ears like he's grabbing a pair of headphones. "Your headphones. You forgot to bring them?"

I blink.

He seems to notice my confusion, and he continues, "You've been having your headphones on the last couple of days I met you on this bus."

I'm taken aback. He's actually boarded the same bus as I did in a few consecutive days already? And I notice him only today! Gee… I must be missing out a lot with those headphones on. If it continues, I think I might die a cloud-9 death by walking onto a railway track when the train arrives because I'm too absorbed in my music to notice where I'm walking.

"No. I just didn't feel like listening to it today." I reply, and I see a little sparkle in his eyes, like he's… happy to see me without my headphones.

"Aa…" He nods, his eyes gazing away from me. "…May I know your name?"

"My name?"

"I've been… waiting to talk to you these last few days, but I thought it would be rude to since you had your headphones on…"

I smile, strangely reminded of the flirtatious girls in my university. Before I can answer, however, he butts in.

"Erm… it's rude of me to not introduce myself first, aren't I? I'm Heero."

I grin wider, a little amused by his… what, manners? Usually, those who are interested in me are much more straightforward and bold. They would just come up to me, gesture for me to take off my headphones and take my hands into a handshake while telling me how much they adore me. They don't bother with their names, until I ask, and they'll be surprised as to why I even asked in the first place. Apparently, this Heero is different.

"I'm Duo." And I hold out my hand.

He takes it almost hesitantly, and shakes it gently. His hand feels a little rough, but not too much.

When I finally do alight, I've gotten his phone number hastily scribbled onto a piece of rumpled paper. He didn't ask for my number, and I didn't offer to give it to him either. So I guess I'll have to call him if I want to make friends with him.

But somehow, I think I'll be seeing him on the bus tomorrow again. And the day after tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after…

When the bus drives out of sight, I sigh and start trekking back to my apartment. Feeling the familiar weight of my headphones in my backpack, I smile suddenly. Slinging the backpack to my side, I unzip it and take the headphones out. With a grin, I toss the thing into the trashcan.

I'm getting a pair of earphones tomorrow.

tbc-

Last revised 28th June 2005


	8. 11 over 10

Title: 11 over 10

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 2+1

Warnings: Duo POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

My lessons end early on the first day of the new term. Thank god for that. I'm not sure how much longer I could have held on to my composure, and not send my fist flying into that Mueller jerk's face. What's his problem with my hair anyway? 

Sylvia, one of my best friends in school, laughingly tells me that he's just jealous because his girlfriend flat out refuses to grow hers. Maybe that's it. I've never seen Ruby's hair reach even her shoulders, except when she puts on hair extensions just to make her boyfriend happy. Ruby's the type of person who would kill Helios (1) if she could. If it isn't for the fact that Mueller would surely freak out and possibly try to mutilate her, she'd have shaved it off a long time ago. Of course, the upside to that 'hate the heat' thing of hers is that she turns up in school in the scantiest of clothing, almost like she can't afford to buy some cloth.

The guys in school adore the heat. I bet some of them even pray for hot days.

I think they're just being stupid. I mean, what's so great about the heat? It grates on my nerves when my hair gets stuck on my skin because of perspiration. And my braid trails over my nape, so that part of my body hardly gets much ventilation. Sometimes I'd feel that my nape's getting sunstroke. My temper flares up with the heat too. I can almost see it. A built-in thermometer and next to the normal markings, there'll be stuff like… Mmm, maybe next to the 32 degree Celsius mark, you'd see 'Boiling'. You'd most probably see 'Run! Dangerous animal on the loose!' next to the 35 degree Celsius mark.

I'm an autumn guy.

I like the coolness of the weather mostly. It's not the kind of hot weather where I'd wear just my boxers, and not the cold type that I'd want to huddle before the fireplace like a piece of marshmallow. I swear I'll melt just like it anyway. No, the weather's nice enough for me to wear just a pair of jeans and a nice sweater over my shirt. If it rains, two shirts maybe.

But really, I like the way the leaves turn brown and flutter everywhere… as long as it doesn't land somewhere I have to clean up. Sure, some chaps think that autumn is plain gloomy with that around, but I don't. Those leaves may be dead, but the trees rejuvenate the branches in spring. It's just a process. Ain't nothing sad about it. Moreover, the piles of brown leaves are a great excuse to act like kids. I like jumping onto them and see the leaves fly everywhere. The downside is that the leaves get snagged onto my hair and stick out in all directions. I've got a picture of that in my house to prove it.

Anyway, another reason I'm not really that enthusiastic about Ruby's dressing style is well… girls aren't really my type. Yeah, they can make really wonderful friends, like Sylvia, but girlfriends? A big no no. I've tried before, really, I've tried. But none of them have sparked my interest enough to make me stay long.

Guys, on the other hand… are kinda better. I mean, as one myself, I'd know another guy better than I would a girl. After all, while we guys are whooping for joy because the soccer team we're supporting scored a goal, the girls will be at the shopping mall, gushing over the newest skirt that just came in. And while girls say, "It's stupid. 22 people running after 1 ball. Why don't they just buy another 21 soccer balls?", the guys will be pulling the first shirt they find on the discount racks.

And yes, I do check out guys. I give scores.

Mueller does not really look very bad, but well, he's not good looking either. So he's got 3, on a scale of 10. His attitude and manners, though, make that score a negative. His buddy and number one sidekick, Alex, looks much better. Perhaps a 5? Still low? Yeah, I guess. I've seldom met guys I actually give more than 6.

The one I met yesterday is a completely different story, though.

His name's… Heero, I think. Pretty cute guy, if I must say. Hmm… maybe he deserves an 8 for his looks. And he was so… shy when he was talking to me. Almost like he was afraid I'd run off if he said the wrong thing. Cute. Add 1 point. And the fact that he'd been watching me for the past few days so much that he knew I'm dependent on my headphones… was dependent on them. I'm getting earphones on the way home. Anyway, I'll just award him with another point for being so observant since I like that in a guy. Observant guys tend to be more aware of my split-ends and they usually try to help me.

…Holy shit. Did I just give that Heero a perfect score?

Wow.

Maybe I'll call him tonight when I get home. We could go hang out at some pizza place or something. Perfect score… that's never happened before.

I step into the store, and a wave of cool air comes at me. Ahh… I adore air conditioners. The store's pretty small, and sells little electrical trinkets like cameras, disc-mans, MD players… you know the drill. It's the kind of store where the sales person will be at your feet, eager to introduce you to the newest models of whatever is on sale. But I guess the bunch of high school kids is keeping their guys busy, what with them ogling and caressing the disc-mans. Thanks to them, I'm left alone to prod at the rack with various headphones and earphones. I hate to be prodded into buying my things anyway.

My eyes zoom into a set of earphones and I pick it up. It's completely black. Well, I've never purchased earphones before since I've been using headphones for as long as I can remember; it's no wonder I haven't got the slightest idea how to choose a good set. I guess it's just my luck then, and I check out the price tag. Acceptable… I think.

I'm about to turn and go to the counter when this guy comes up beside me and blocks my way.

"Hi."

Sounds familiar… I turn. "…Heero?"

He smiles brightly like he didn't believe that I'd remember his name.

"Yeah."

"What're you doing here?" I ask.

"Oh. I was looking for a new camera because... something happened to my old one." He actually looked a little embarrassed.

Whatever happened to that poor ol' camera must have been interesting. Experience tells me it can range from sassy young siblings to spiteful girlfriends. Since Heero's so shy and so obviously hitting on me, I rule out the latter.

"Erm… Duo, are you buying earphones?"

"Yeah."

"What happened to your headphones?"

"Well… my dog thought it was a toy, and dragged it away. Since I don't wanna get doggy drool on me…" Sorry Shini, I thought. But I'm not really lying, actually. After I threw my headphones into the trashcan on impulse, I picked it out and gave it to Shingami instead. He looked like he needed a toy anyway.

"Oh, I see." He grinned. "But if I were you, I wouldn't buy that one. See this? It's hard, and it'll hurt your ears if you use it for a long period of time. Besides, the quality's not all that wonderful."

"Then, recommend me something good. I'm not sure how to tell a good one from a bad one. No headphones, please."

He looks surprised.

"Headphones are kinda heavy and bulky. I don't enjoy bringing them everywhere I go." Nope, not a lie either. I've been having this problem for a long time, but I've never actually thought much about it. That's all.

"In that case…" His eyes raked over the shelf for a while, and he finally hands me one. "This one is much better in terms of sound quality. It's clearer. And see this rubber casing on the earpieces? It'll make your ears more comfortable. The price isn't too much either."

I take it from him, and I like the thing almost immediately. It's mainly composed of a nice shade of silver that is not too bright and not too dull either. The shape's smooth and I kinda like the idea of the rubber casing. It's blue, just like Heero's eyes.

"If you want it, I can get you a discount. My friend works here."

I smile. "Thanks. Yeah, I'll take it."

True to his word, I got a 10 percent discount and leave the store happily. Heero follows me, his camera carefully wrapped up in a box.

I turn back to him, and smile again. "Thanks so much Heero."

"You… You're welcomed," he replies, his eyes gazing at the ground. "Are you… are you free now? There's this really nice coffee shop just down the street…"

"Sorry Heero. I've got some errands to run and a ton of reports to finish up," I apologize, inwardly pouting. Trust Howard to forget our groceries today. Of all days to forget, it just had to be today. "Maybe next time?"

Either I'm imagining, or Heero's face really fell. And it's not just a simple frown or anything. It's the type that reminds you of a kid denied of his Christmas present. It's the type that makes you guilty.

Damn.

"You've got any paper and pen?"

He looks up.

"I'll give you my number. Contact me, and we can go hang out together some time."

His face immediately lights up, and he scrambles back into the store. When he comes out again, he's got a piece of paper and pen in his hands.

It's hard to believe a set of numbers can make him so happy.

After a sincere goodbye, I head for the supermarket nearby. My mind wanders back to Heero, and I just have to give him 1 more point for his seemingly nice personality.

Gee… did he just chalk up 11 points? On a scale of 10?

Wow.

tbc-

(1): Just in case you don't know, Helios is the god of the sun in Greek mythology.

Last revised 28th June 2005


	9. Calling Duo

Title: Calling Duo

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

I never thought that I'd be so elated over a set of numbers. 

A telephone number no less.

It's not like it's the number in my bank account; but still, I'll admit I'm kind of happy about it. Okay, I'm ecstatic. Happy?

As I put away the clean dishes after dinner, I can't help but think of him. Beautiful, cute, wonderful Duo. I like the way his name rolls off my tongue.

I walk back to my room, and pass by the living room where Hirde is watching some TV program. She must have heard me coming because she looks up at me with a grin.

"You know, you've had this goofy smile on your face since you came back. What happened? You actually met Mars long enough to talk to him this time?"

I remember there's this guy who said something like if someone asks you something you don't want to answer, just smile at that person and ask, 'Why do you want to know?' I do just that. But apparently, that guy has never met my sister.

"Aww! Of course I want to know! I'm concerned about you! You've been single for so long I almost thought you were asexual," she whines sweetly, frowning in what is supposed to be a sympathetic look. "I was ready to introduce some girls to you before Mars came along."

"Hirde…" I warn.

She blinks innocently and continues that smile of hers. "C'mon! Tell me!"

Cajoling must be one of the oldest tricks in the book women use on men, and yet I still fall for it.

"Yes, I met him today."

"His name? Did you get it? His number too?"

"He's called Duo."

"No number?"

She looks disappointed. /Very/ disappointed as she pouts.

"No." If I tell her, she'd try to call Duo and hook us up. I know her too well.

"You're an idiot. You should have gotten Mars' number."

"Duo."

"Fine, Duo." She makes a face, and turned back to the television in a mock huff.

I sigh, and go back to my room. Halfway inside, I suddenly remember to lock the door. My sister doesn't understand the concept of 'privacy' even though she's in secondary school. It's not like I trail her whenever she goes on a date with Wufei. Okay, I followed them the first week. But I stopped after I was sure that Wufei wasn't bullying Hirde. In fact, I think it was the opposite.

Taking the only photo of Duo I have now, I sit on my bed. Looking at it, I almost smirk at the small and unclear corner with him. Now I know better. He's got the most amazing chestnut hair that's nearly always woven into a braid, really beautiful violet eyes shining at the world, and the fairest complexion I've ever seen. Sharp nose, pink lips…

I'm sure I look stupid, smirking away and looking dreamy. Well, I've locked the door, haven't I?

I like the photo. It's what really made me… become so attracted to him.

Moreover, this photo is also one of the last few pictures my last camera took. Call it its swansong. Hirde smashed the poor thing. She had just gotten off the phone with Wufei after a really loud argument, which I think involved someone called Meiran, and needed to burn off some steam. She just grabbed the nearest thing to her and flung it into the wall. Of course, the nearest thing to her had been my camera, which is currently missing a few pieces of plastic and lenses.

My new camera is stored in my room now under heavy lock and key. I taped a note that reads 'Touch and die!' just for added effect.

But one good thing did come out of Hirde's tantrum, and that is my coincidental encounter yesterday. I had been in the store to get a new camera, feeling a little more than upset at my loss. And lo and behold! There was Duo standing in front of a shelf, apparently looking for something. If it wasn't for the fact that I'd find myself rushed to the hospital faster than I can say 'Duo', I would have cheered out loud and maybe even danced. As it was, I had to hide myself from his view for a moment so I could wipe that silly grin I was undoubtedly wearing off my face before I could go up to him.

I recall cheering mentally when he told me he was buying earphones and admitted that he had no idea which one was suitable because I know a little about that sort of stuff. After all, Uncle Jay owns that shop and I've been patronizing it since moving to this city. He's my distant relative, I think. I'm not too sure. Mum and Dad never kept in contact much with our relatives.

Did he notice that the rubber casing is blue? Call me silly, but maybe that blue will remind him of my eyes? I've been told several times that my eyes are my most striking features.

I hope I gave him a strong, good impression, because he sure gave me one.

I remember the way tendrils of his hair fluttered in the light breeze of the air conditioner.

I remember the way his voice sounded.

I remember the way he smiled at me before we parted.

I remember the utter joy that washed over me when he gave me his phone number.

Picking out the sheet of paper from the side pocket of my shorts (I'm not stupid enough to leave it lying around when Hirde is at home, not after what happened with my camera), I unfold and straighten it. If I call this number, I'll be able to get Duo. I'll hear his voice again. I may even get a date with him.

Steeling myself, I take the cordless phone off its cradle. Press, press, press… slam! Okay, I know I can do this. I mean, what's the worst that can happen? It's not like Duo can leap out of the phone and slap me. Let's try this again.

Press, press, press… Ring! Ring!

"Hello?"

"Hello? I'm looking for Duo Maxwell. He lives here… right?" I ask, half-worried that I had dialed up the wrong number.

"Duo? What're you looking him for? School?"

"I… err…" Who is this fellow? He sounds like he wants to skewer me and put me on the fire like a kebab. And who is he to Duo? His boyfriend? God… what was I thinking? A beautiful guy like Duo would of course have a significant other.

"Are you hitting on him? Are you seriously hitting on him? If you are, I'm gonna fry…"

There's a loud sound on the other end of the line, some shuffling and muffled cursing. I think I can hear something that sounds vaguely like 'You jerk!' and 'Get away from the phone!' Half a minute later, Duo's voice comes over.

"Hello? Who's that on the phone?"

"Duo! It's me, Heero!" I reply. I'm so damn relieved I can just… wear a straw skirt and do the hula? The teapot song even.

"Heero? Oh my god, I'm so sorry. That jerk on the phone earlier is my brother," Duo says, his voice laced with exasperation. In the background, I hear a loud 'Hey!'

"Don't mind him. Something just came up and bit him on his ass."

"It's… It's okay."

"Well, what are you calling me for?"

"You said I could call you and fix a date to hang out or something. Does it… does it still stand?"

There was silence for a while, and I panic. Duo probably gave me his phone number as a polite gesture. Nothing more than that. What made me think there's more to it anyway?

I'm about to apologize, but Duo beats me to it.

"Of course! So, where do you wanna go? Oh, do you like coffee? There's this quaint coffeehouse somewhere in town, and I haven't been there in a while…"

"Sure! I like coffee!" I answer a little too quickly, and nod my head vigorously. "Just tell me where the place is, and I'll be there."

"It's close to a public library. I can't remember its name… You know the library near Bradford Avenue?"

Of course I do. It's the library I boycotted 6 days ago. "Is the coffee house you're talking about called Sally's Coffeehouse?"

"Yes! You know that place?"

"Um. So Duo, when are you free? Tomorrow?" I ask, hoping feverishly that he'd be available tomorrow, because these photos aren't enough.

"Let me think… Yeah, I think tomorrow's fine. What about tomorrow evening? We can meet at 4."

"Okay. Tomorrow at 4, we'll meet at Sally's Coffeehouse."

"Then, I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye."

I set the phone back into its cradle, feeling a little lightheaded. Damn it, I'm not some teenage schoolgirl going out on her first date! But still, I can't deny the feather light happiness I'm feeling right now.

I like it.

Flopping back onto my bed, I can just feel a full-blown smile on my face. Ahh… life's great now. But I think tomorrow will be even better.

And I can't wait for it to arrive.

tbc-

Last revised 28th June 2005


	10. The Thing that is Called First Date

Title: The Thing That Is Called First Date

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4, implied 5+H

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Note: I've played around with the cast's age. Heero, Quatre, Trowa, Zechs, Catherine are about 22, 23. Duo is 18, and Wufei and Hirde are 16.

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

"You've really called him?" 

I nod, groaning inwardly like never before. I should have known that it's a bad idea to tell them about Duo. Given their track records, they are bound to interrogate me like I'm the prime suspect of a murder trial. I can just see it happening like some third-rate movie: in a bland room where the only source of lighting is a swaying ceiling lamp, they slam down a thick file onto the wooden table, and the rickety thing shakes when they pound their fists on it as well. Glaring at me in my eye, they yell at me to tell them everything I know. Well, if they could get their hands on such a room, they might just do it. Except for the file part.

I don't have a crime file that thick.

In fact, I'll be damned if I have one at all.

Anyway, I should have remembered their curiosity driven personalities. I've always told them that curiosity kills the cat, but they all insist (except for Trowa, who maintains that he's a lion) that they've got more than the usual 9 lives. And even knowing all these, I still told them about Duo. Worse still, I also told them about calling Duo last night.

No wonder Hirde says I'm an idiot.

"Yes, I did."

Quatre's eyes brighten considerably. "Way to go, Heero! I knew you could do it!"

"Well, you've taken the gigantic first step. Now we'll have to think of a plan to get you into his heart! 'Operation: help Heero get Duo' commences now!" Zechs yells, rising his balled fist like he's rallying everyone's support.

He doesn't have to. The rest of them are even more enthusiastic than he is. Sometimes I think I should have gotten a girl or boyfriend ages ago. But no I'm not socially-inclined, remember? If Duo and I ever progress to that stage, he'll be my first boyfriend ever. First significant other, in fact.

That must be why the guys are so excited over this.

"Now, the most important thing is to give him a good impression when you meet him for coffee later! C'mon honey, give me your most charming smile!" Catherine leans forward, gesturing for me to start.

I feel stupid as all of them look at me hopefully. I'm lucky we're at a very secluded corner in the garden instead of the crowded cafeteria we usually patronize during this time slot. The place had been overly crowded, and we decided to eat outside at the garden benches and tables. Well, at least no one in the university will bear witness to me smiling stupidly. Apart from my buddies who seem adamant to embarrass me to high heaven.

"No! Emotions, Heero! Emotions! Put more emotions into that smile!"

I try again.

"No! Let the smile light up your face! You look like you're having a muscle cramp!"

"God! If we gave you a dress and a black wig, you'd look like Mona Lisa! Smile wider!"

"Heero, we all know you've got a set of pearly white teeth. What the hell do you think it's for? Show it!"

For the love of-! My jaws are numb!

"Ah-huh! This one's great!" Catherine says critically, smiling widely herself. "Remember this wide, teeth-showing, bright smile and show it to him later! He'll love it!"

I reach up to massage my abused jaws. I wonder how crocodiles manage to keep their mouths wide open for so long and clamp it together. But, I remind myself, if it's for Duo, it's gonna be worth it. I hope.

"Now that we've perfected your smile, you have to learn how to introduce yourself! You two haven't actually introduced yourselves, right?" Trowa asks, but he has this knowing smile that I'd like to wipe off. "Cathy, can you and Quatre give him a demonstration? I think we'll have an easier time with some visual aid."

"My pleasure."

Quatre nods smugly, and he remains seated.

Catherine, on the other hand, gets up and stands a little away from the table we're at. Slowly, she sashays over to Quatre with a sly grin and picks up a packet of unopened sugar we had taken for our coffee earlier. Dangling it on its corner between her fingers, she smiles at him.

"Hey sugar, you dropped your nametag."

"Really? And I thought that was yours."

While Zechs and Trowa guffaw at their little demonstration, I think I'm blanching. I'm supposed to do this? Even movies don't have cheesy pick-up lines like this!

"Wait, try this," Zechs says as Catherine settles down beside him again. "You grab Duo's shirt like this," he explains, and flips the top of Trowa's shirt down. "Look at the label, and swoon, 'Yep, made in heaven alright.'"

The guys laugh again. I just choke.

* * *

I reach the coffeehouse at 3.50pm. 

Sally's Coffeehouse is situated in a very upbeat area of town, and the towering glass buildings that is the proof of advanced architectural skills around it contrasts greatly with its antediluvian design. A simple mahogany door is its only entrance, and with the other beautiful, brightly lit doorways, it easily slips my eyes. Only the large white, plastic signboard bearing the words 'Sally's Kopitiam (Coffeehouse)' (1) makes sure that the place cannot be missed.

The shop's interior is designed like a traditional Chinese coffeehouse one would find in many Asian countries, from the white tiled floor to the stark white walls. Round wooden tables and wooden chairs replace the modern metal ones you would find at Starbucks, and on every table is one laminated menu that shines under the stripes of florescent lights. There're no coffee machines that will give customers espresso or mocha; neither are there shelves of chicken pie or chocolate cake. Only the smell of charcoal-toasted bread and black coffee fills the place.

I slide into a seat at the side.

"What do you want today, Heero? Black coffee with milk and a little sugar, and two slices of toasted bread?"

"Later Sally. I'm waiting for someone."

Sally, the owner of the shop, raises an eyebrow at my comment. I don't recall bringing a friend here, so I guess I understand her surprise. Then she shrugs and leaves my table. Like the décor of the place, Sally is pretty Chinese-like. If it weren't for her blonde hair and blue eyes, I'd say she's from Asia.

Alone, I glance around as I wait. The place is pretty empty; its peak period is at night, usually after dinnertime. Now, there're only five other patrons sitting around, quietly sipping their black coffee that Sally's place is famous for. Even the waitresses and cashier are looking bored.

I'll admit it. I'm god damn nervous. What if Duo suddenly decides that he doesn't want to see me? What if something suddenly crops up for him and he can't contact me? What if… what if…

I feel someone looking at me, and I lift my head to see Sally standing behind the counter, barely stifling her chuckles. I would have told her to stop but someone arrives just in time.

"Hey, Heero."

A smile bursts forth on my face, but I can't help it.

"Duo!"

He smiles back, and slides into the seat facing mine. I think I can just look at him all day long.

Sally chooses this moment to come up to us. "Where have you been all this while, Duo Maxwell? Abandoned poor me for that shiny, new Starbucks down the street?"

"Of course not, Sal! How could you accuse me of such felony?" He gives her a mock gasp, and she chuckles.

"I was at the new Dôme just three streets away!" He gives her a cheeky smile that I would much rather be directed at me.

Sally swings a light punch at his shoulder and laughs. "Well then, I suppose I'll have to punish you for betraying me! No sugar in your coffee for you today!"

He laughs again before saying, "Black coffee for me please!"

As if on cue, he turns back to me.

"What about you, Heero? What do you want?"

"I'll have the usual, Sally."

"Sal, remember the extra sugar, please!" He bats his eyelashes at the blonde woman. For a guy, his eyelashes are long.

"No, no sugar for you, traitor!" she teases, and leaves for the kitchen.

"Do you come here often? I've never seen you before," I ask, wanting to get his attention again.

"Yeah, I used to come over like… four, fives times a week. But I haven't been around lately 'cause I was kinda caught up with a lot of things."

"Oh…"

"What about you? You come over pretty often, huh? Ordering 'the usual'?"

"I started coming only a month ago. A friend recommended me this place, and I thought I'd try it out."

"Got hooked onto Sal's coffee, huh? The coffee she makes is…" Duo gives me a face of utter amazement. "…Wow!"

"Yeah… It's good," I mumble, not too sure what to say. It's not like I've ever dated someone before. Luckily, Duo seems experienced enough; although I can't say I'm happy with that.

"Well, I guess we should introduce ourselves. I'll start." Duo straightens, and smiles at me warmly. "I'm Duo Maxwell. I'm 18, so I'm in my second year of junior college (2)."

"I'm Heero Yuy, 22, and I'm in university now."

"You're 22? You sure don't look like it. I thought you were older than that! I mean, on the two occasions we've met, you always looked kinda serious."

"I, err…" I really should take the guys' advice and learn to lighten up.

"Two black coffee, and two slices of bread!" Sally interrupts me and puts our orders on the table. "You know, I never knew you two were friends…"

"Oh, we just met the other day, and we thought it would be fun to have coffee together…"

"I see. Well, have fun, you two." Sally winks playfully at me, and goes back into the kitchen.

I think I'm blushing. "Duo, I…"

"Duo!" A voice startles me, and someone comes up to him.

I am seriously irked. Can't I just enjoy a quiet, nice cup of coffee with the man of my dreams? But the really bad thing is that that someone is none other than Wufei, my sister's boyfriend. He'll never let me live it down, and he'll no doubt tell Hirde. There goes my privacy.

"Fei?" Duo looks startled, but it's a happy startle, and invites him to sit with us.

I think they're having some small talk, but I'm too upset to pay much attention. I just want to talk to Duo, damn it! I should have remembered that since Wufei was the one who recommended me to come to this coffeehouse, he would come here himself! But why now? Why? Suddenly, someone calls me.

"Heero? Why are you here?"

I roll my eyes. "I came here to get a pound of pork and some vegetables for dinner tonight. Of course I'm here for coffee!"

Duo snickers quietly.

"Why are you sharing a table with Duo? There're many empty tables…"

"Fei, Heero and I are friends. Of course we're sharing a table!"

Duo's tone reminds me of myself when I was talking to a seven year old Hirde.

Wufei blinks, but he recovers fast enough to talk to Duo again, effectively interrupting my first date with Duo. People have told me that first dates rarely go smoothly; Quatre, Trowa, Zechs, Noin, Hirde have all told me how bad their first dates went, but I thought it would never happen to me. Of course, I never thought I would even get a date like this. First dates sucks.

Almost two hours later, Wufei leaves the coffeehouse on a date with my sister. Duo and I leave the place as well, having spent too much time at Sally's. I am in the worst mood possible, I think. Who wouldn't be? My sister's boyfriend just ruined my first date! I can't even get mad at Wufei because Hirde'll get mad with me! So now I'm the bad guy?

Once outside, I quickly think of excuses to get another date with Duo. A decent date, I might add.

But Duo smiles at me and says, "Sorry Heero, me and Fei haven't met for weeks! We just have so much to talk about! I didn't mean to ignore you or anything."

"I… I understand." I'm lying through my teeth.

He looks chagrined, but he keeps his smile. "…Are you free now?"

"What?"

"Are you free now? Why… why don't we go for dinner together?"

"Yes! I'm free! Completely!"

"Well, you can pick the place." Smile.

"Oh, there's this steakhouse…"

Call me a teenage schoolgirl, but I'm really getting dizzy.

With happiness.

tbc-

(1): Kopitiam is a Chinese dialect for coffeehouse.

(2): I'm using the education system in my country since I'm really confused about the ones abroad. Junior college over here is a pre-university institution, and takes only 2 years to graduate from. Students are generally 17, 18 years old.

Last revised 28th June 2005


	11. Dinner at Pizza Hut

Title: Dinner at Pizza Hut

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, 5+H

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story. GW and all the brands mentioned here belong to whomever they belong to. Thank you for paying attention. :P

Note: This is a direct continuation of 'The Thing That Is Called First Date'.

Thanx to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing efforts!

* * *

"Oh, there's this steakhouse…" 

"Steakhouse? No offence to you, but nah… That's too classy for me. How about somewhere more for the common folks like me?"

Duo's smile is blinding, and I feel my heart stop for a moment. Is it just me, or am I being really sappy here? Hmm, it must be because I've never dated before. But… he doesn't want to go to a steakhouse? Then… where?

"Erm… then… we could go to Pizza Hut!" I blurt, and almost immediately, I can feel a headache coming. Like someone had just slapped me inside. Oh yeah, I think that's my inner self.

"Okay!"

I'm surprised as hell that he agrees, but I'm not about to question my luck.

* * *

15 minutes later, I find myself seated across Duo in a quiet Pizza Hut. 

"I didn't think you'd know Wufei," I say, after a bouncy waitress had taken our orders.

He shrugs. "We met at Sally's a couple months ago. I was there with a couple of friends, and I think we were being a little loud then, and Fei… you know him, that noise intolerant junkie… geez, you think he'd die of noisiness…" Duo mutters, rolling his eyes.

"So he came up to my table, and just demanded that I lower my volume or get the hell out of there. And I told him politely to shove it. You should have seen his face! I swear he was boiling!" He laughs.

"That sounds like animosity to me. How did you two…?"

"Sally placated both of us at that time. I think she was worried that we'd fight or something. Well, placating is just a nice way of saying it, but let's just leave it at that. So anyway, I met Fei a couple more times at the coffeehouse. And every time we met, we'd argue. But slowly, the arguments lost the hostility and we found it to be… kinda amusing. So we started cooking up things just to argue about. It's a slow thing, but we became friends."

I nod slowly. I can just imagine Wufei kicking up a fuss about that sort of thing.

"What about you? How did you know him?"

"He's my sister's boyfriend."

I think I might have said something wrong, because Duo just stares at me. In shock, I might add, judging from his slightly slack jaws. Suddenly, he chortles.

"So you're the guy Fei's been telling me about the past few months!"

I blink. "What?"

"Fei's told me about his girlfriend's elder brother. Said he had a few loose screws in his head because he actually tailed them with they went out on dates. Did you actually do that?"

Embarrassment doesn't begin to describe what I'm feeling. "Yeah… but only for the first week! I was worried for my sister!"

"Hey, I understand. It's the worry issue. Younger siblings will always be younger siblings. Well, at least you're better than my brother!"

"Your brother? The guy on the phone that day?"

Duo nods. "Yeah, that guy who was terrorizing the person on the other end of the line. Who, unfortunately, was you. I apologize for that. My brother's a little overprotective."

"It's okay, I guess. Erm, so… have you met my sister yet?" I ask, hoping desperately that he'll give me a negative response. God, if he has met Hirde… I can only imagine what crap she has filled him with. Crap about me. Hirde has this bad habit of running off the mouth. Wufei doesn't help. In fact, I can see him adding a few… colourful comments.

"Well actually, no. Fei has never brought his girlfriend to Sally's. I think he said that she doesn't like coffee. That true?"

"No. Hirde doesn't just dislike coffee. She hates it."

He grins again, and it's infectious. I grin back.

"Anyway, I've seldom met Fei outside of Sally's. So… Never met his girlfriend."

At that moment, the waitress bounces back to our table with a pizza and our other orders. Well, the pizza's the main thing, so sue me if I neglect the other stuff. Timely service too, since I've no idea what else to say. I like this waitress.

She winks flirtatiously at Duo, who offers a smirk in return.

Correction: I do not like this waitress.

I ignore her, and quickly scoop up a slice of pizza and put it on Duo's plate. He thanks me, and hands me mine. A few bites later, we start talking again. Good thing; I don't like the silence.

"So… Actually, I'm kinda curious. Why did you approach me that day on the bus?"

Erm… I honestly don't think telling him that I've been looking for him since the day I first saw him on the streets would be a good idea. Even if I'm not adept at dating, I'm pretty sure that kind of answers can scare off people. Love at first sight is already a romanticized notion prettied up by the show biz. What would Duo think if I tell him that I was attracted to him even before I actually saw his face?

Zechs would applaud if I say that.

"We were on the same bus for a couple of days. So I noticed you, since it was such a coincidence to see the same person again day after day on the bus."

Duo nods and laughs. "I still can't believe that I never noticed you until you came up to me. I didn't know I was that unobservant!"

"Headphones tend to do that to people."

"Yeah, I guess so. The music just pours into your ears, and you sorta just… forget about everything else."

"Tell me about it."

"What? It's happened to you before?"

"Yeah. I had my headphones over my ears, and it was really very loud. My intention was to just drown out the sounds of the silly television program my sister was watching, but you know… Things like that always backfires? So that night, we had such a horrible dinner because I had put sugar into the food instead of salt… I didn't notice the oven going off… I slipped and effectively broke all of our eggs…"

I know it's stupid to tell your date about your embarrassing moments, more so when you're on your first date. But it doesn't really matter when Duo chuckles at me. I like to hear him laugh. Doesn't matter if he's laughing at me, even.

"Wow… wonders of the headphones." He rolls his eyes with yet another smirk. "And I thought my experience was bad. So you still have your headphones?"

"No, gave it to my sister. I bought earphones after that."

"Clever decision."

"Definitely.

"So, what genre of music do you listen to?"

"New age." I admit, after a moment's hesitation. Hirde insists that no teenagers listen to stuff like that, and I'm a little worried that I'll put Duo off.

"Oh. You mean the music Kevin Kern makes? It's wonderful stuff!"

"You like Kevin Kern?" I ask, more than a little relieved.

He nods. "Didn't like it before. Then my friend insisted that I try it before I put it down. I gotta admit, it's good music, although it's a tad on the soft side. I'm used to louder music like rock. A little pop too."

"I prefer it softer. Otherwise, it tends to make me lose concentration on whatever else I'm doing."

"Right." He laughs again, apparently reminded of my bad experience with headphones. "You know, we should exchange our CDs sometimes."

"Yeah."

Our conversation didn't stop even after we'd finished our food. We stayed there and kept talking, slowly getting to know each other. As we talked, we discovered that we actually had quite a bit of similarities. We both enjoyed playing video games, especially action games and RPGs. And we like sports, in and outside of video games. We read a lot too. The only thing he liked that bothered me was his love of chocolate. Not that that's actually a problem, but he likes Mars bars. Of all chocolates, he especially likes Mars bars. Is that coincidence or what?

Still, our date ended too soon for my liking.

As we exit the restaurant, I'm gathering my courage to ask for another date. He just glances at me with a slight smile, and that just makes me more nervous.

"Duo, do you think you'd be free again sometime soon? Tomorrow?" I blurt.

"Tomorrow? Sorry, I think I've got something on in college. What about this weekend?" he offers, most probably after seeing my disappointment.

"Okay. I'll call you again."

"I promise I'll try to pick up the phone before my brother does." He laughs. "Alright then. Bye."

"Bye." I reply, and Duo leaves.

I stay there a while longer, leaving only when I can't see him anymore. As I walk on the sidewalk, my mind replays our date. Replays Duo's little actions and his smiles.

And I have another date with him. This weekend.

I grin.

tbc-

Last revised 28th June 2005


	12. Emotions Check

Title: Emotions Check

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Duo POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I tried tracing the GW boys so I could kidnap them, but hey, they're the professionals. So currently, I'm still at the tracing part. So of course they don't belong to me. I don't own the movie 'The Mask' either.

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing efforts!

* * *

Seeing the familiar wooden door, I reach into my side pocket. I'm usually a pretty cautious guy, so you can imagine my shock when I didn't hear the tinkling of my metal keys. Immediately, my other hand fishes around in the left pocket. I sigh in relief when the keys magically turn up. 

With a bit of fumbling with the lock, I manage to get the damn door to open. Tossing my backpack away from me, I all but flopped onto the living room couch, propping my feet up on the table before it. Feeling the fan's breeze, my irritation fades away. A little. A teeny, weenie, itsy bit.

But really, I think I'm entitled to being aggravated today.

When I got to school this morning, Marie and Sylvia kept trading glances and peeking at me. That was fine, 'cause I understand that some girl secrets can't be shared with guys, no matter how close you are. Uh huh, so I let that slide. A few classes later, they were still giggling and blushing when I came within their line of vision. I already had a bad premonition about that; when girls have that reaction, it probably means a) they caught you getting intimate with someone, b) they have a crush on you, c) they've just read some silly girl magazine gushing about love and you've proven something printed in the magazine. A fourth option probably exists, but it exists only in the internal logic plains of females.

When lunch hour came around, we sat at the same table like we always do. I had wanted to avoid them actually, but Marie dragged me forcibly to the table. She has a damn good grip despite her diminutive stature. Anyway, as soon as my bum touched the bench, the barrage of questions started coming at me at a pace that would rival a machine gun.

Apparently, Marie had seen me yesterday. At night. When I was about to have dinner. With Heero.

Crap.

Trust me. When girls, especially Marie and Sylvia, get hold of material like that, they won't stop bugging you until they get the answers they want. Either that, or when the school bully overhears the conversation.

And it just so happened that that friggin' bastard Mueller was passing by, and by some stroke of luck (or misfortune), heard us talking. I can stand him taunting me about my long hair that I keep in a braid, my femme looks that have misled quite a number of guys, my skin that does not get tanned no matter what… All of that, I can tolerate. After so many years of getting stuck in the same school with him, I'm already somewhat immune to those taunts. Besides, the insults he hurls are the run-of-the-mill type, too cliché. And if he had stayed that way, everything would have been fine and dandy.

But noooo! His creative juices just had to kick in today. My god… lunch hour escalated and became 'Pick on little Duo' hour.

I can only hope that thinking up of all these new insults has permanently killed his brain cells.

Of course, I might have done him a favour by countering nearly every one of those gibes with a smart-ass remark or two. That guy absolutely does not deserve his brain cells. By the time lunch period was over, his face was as redder than a ripe tomato. I was faring any better, though I hid it with much more ease.

But that wasn't the end of it. Somehow, continuing my streak of damn bad luck today, a teacher happened to happily stroll by. Worst still, the teacher wasn't just anybody. It was Miss Tracy Ewell, the old spinster who takes great perverse pleasure in giving me hell.

So she caught both of us using what she perceived as 'swear words', and proceeded to lecture us like we're little puppies. Mueller isn't in her English class. I am. And as punishment, I have to write her an essay. On what? On 'Why swear words are undignified.'

I can just kill her.

To sum it all up, this has been a really bad day.

I sigh, leaning back onto the couch even more. Suddenly, Heero slides back into my thoughts. Really, why did I get so embarrassed when Marie and Sylvia were asking about him? Why did I get so damn uneasy when Mueller insinuated that I was interested in him?

… Because Heero's a really nice guy. He's shown nothing but kindness towards me since the first day I saw him. Well, attraction too. I'm quite sure that Heero's interested in me… /that/ sorta way. I mean, coincidence or not, he approached me and asked me nicely for my name. And he had that /look/ on his face. The same one Mueller wears when Ruby is around. As much as I dislike that guy, I can't deny how much he likes Ruby. I know I'm not imaging Heero's happy expressions. Once or twice, maybe. But Heero looks happy every time I see him. The only exception was when Wufei came up to us at Sally's.

I don't think I've ever met a guy as… considerate as Heero.

"Hey, what're you thinking about?"

I look up, and manage a smile for Howie. He's my mum's elder brother, an eternally sunny and optimistic man. He's really called Howard, but I couldn't pronounce that when I was a kid, and the nickname just stuck. I remember that I loved it when he came to visit, because he'd bring loads of presents. Howie love kids, but he just isn't the type to settle down, so he absolutely doted on us. When dad and mum died in a car crash, Howie took both my brother and me in and cared for us like he's our father. He's a great guy.

"Nothing…"

He raises an eyebrow.

"Fine. I ran into some problems in school today. Mueller wouldn't stop mocking at me. But really, Howie, I'm old enough to take care of it on my own."

"Of course I trust you to do that much. But you know, you should tell that jerk that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird, but it's definitely a virtue to kill a mocking-man (1)."

I laugh. Howie always tries to cheer everyone up.

"I'll try that out tomorrow."

"Go ahead," he replies with a grin. "But Duo, is this also about that guy you've been dating lately?"

I blink. "The guy I've been dating?"

"Yeah, the one who called the other day and your bro grabbed the phone first?"

"Oh, you mean Heero. Howie, we're not dating. We're just… hanging out together. You know, go somewhere and chill and all?"

"And that's not dating?"

"Of course not. If that's dating, then I've dated… god… half the school population!"

"Okay, I get your point. But what's he like?"

"Nice."

"That's all? No 'handsome' or 'gentlemanly'…?"

I roll my eyes. "Why do you sound so… disappointed?"

"I /am/ disappointed! I want my young nephew to find someone he can date! Better still, someone who won't get intimidated by your brother."

I know what he means. My brother has already scared off more potential dates than I can count. If it wasn't for the fact that Howie would think that I'm going bonkers, I would have just stood on the table and coo like some blonde harpy, "I'm over-protected!"

"Oh, don't worry. I will. No matter what he thinks, I'm old enough to get a boy or girlfriend."

"So is this Heero…?"

"Howie!"

"Okay, okay. I'll back off. But are you going on another date with him?"

"No, I'm not going on another date with him. But I'm gonna /hang out/ with him this weekend."

Howie claps and hoots. "Way to go, Duo! A few more dates and you can bring him home to meet me!"

I roll my eyes, and stand up. I know better than to argue with him when he's in this state. I swear that he thinks I need to get laid for some odd reason I can't comprehend.

Looking up at the clock hanging on the wall, I notice that I still have some time before dinner. And it is Howie's turn to do the cooking tonight. Might as well take Shini out for a walk in the park nearby. After being cooped up in our tiny apartment for nearly the whole day, he'll like the exercise.

* * *

Dogs are cute little creatures. I mean the small ones. The big ones… even I get scared of them sometimes. Like my insane neighbour who brought a St. Bernard into his apartment. The thing damn near tore his house apart. But the small ones are cute. Like my Shini. 

Shini's a Jack Russell. The type whose coat is a combination of light brown and white, and the type that is really active and fun loving. If you still don't know which breed Shini is, it's the one in that movie 'The Mask'. Howie gave him to me for Christmas three years ago, and Shini's been turning our house topsy turvy ever since. Let me recall… So far, he's eaten my five-page English essay… urinated on my brother's computer diskette that contained his term assignment… destroyed two pairs of Howard's sunglasses… Yeah, none of us got away from the little terror. But still, we love the little fellow to bits.

Suddenly, Shini barks wildly at a passing cat. The grey tabby takes flight into a nearby bush, and I can just imagine the grin on my dog's face. If he can grin, that is. I pull him back gently, hushing him. That cat looks great, and I have a soft spot for most furry animals.

We continue strolling along in the park. I must say… a lazy walk in a green environment always does wonders for me. My temper has somewhat diminished to something I can tolerate, and I think I can gleefully relay Howie's message to Mueller and sweet-talk Sylvia into helping me with that essay.

The wind feels cool. I feel comfy. As comfy as when Heero's around. I'll admit. Heero gives me a feeling of protection. Enough to make me feel safe, but not so much that it's overwhelming. And although I rolled my eyes when Howie asked me about him, I do think that Heero's good-looking. Well, he did score 11 over 10 on the Duo Maxwell scale. Gentlemanly…? Yeah, I guess so. He waited patiently for Wufei and me to stop talking, opened the door for me, paid for the food and talked to me politely that day when we were hanging out.

But a potential boyfriend? That's going a bit too fast, don't you think? I've known him for barely three days. Even Cupid can't work /that/ fast.

I'm so lost…

"Duo!"

I look up and blink. "Heero?"

He smiles excitedly. "What're you doing here?"

"Walking my dog. What're you doing here?" I reply, feeling a little uneasy. After all, I had been thinking of him. But still, I can't stop the smile blossoming on my lips.

"I'm just passing by. I usually take a bus to get home, but I felt like walking a bit today, so I got off the bus earlier."

"Oh, I see. So you live around here?"

"Yeah. Just a couple blocks down. You?"

"Me? Well, I live around here too."

"So… this is your dog?" Heero asks, bending down to get a better look at Shini. "He looks great."

I ignore the sudden change of subject. He must have been unsure of what to say. Cute.

"Yup! Wanna touch him?" I ask, kneeling down as well.

He nods.

"You can pretty much pet him anywhere you want. Shini won't bite. Well, unless you've just handled food or something. He's always hungry. So even if I make him a guard dog, he'll be an easy one to bribe," I tease, poking Shini's tummy. He yips, and turns and pouts at me in his unique doggy way.

Heero starts with Shini's head, stroking his fur in a very gentle manner. I think Shini likes him; he's leaning into Heero's hands.

"Try his chin. He's kinda ticklish there," I say, and Heero nods with a smile.

Shini yips in delight, and rolls over on the ground. I chuckle, and join in the 'attack'.

"What's your dog's name?" Heero asks abruptly.

"Shinigami. But we call him Shini for short. He's the one who got doggy drool all over my headphones."

"Shinigami?" Heero blinks and looks at me in surprise. His hands stop tickling Shini, and Shini rolls back to his side like he's trying to catch his breath. "You do know what that means, don't you?"

"Of course I do. It's Japanese for 'God of Death'."

"Then why…?"

I shrug. "It was chosen randomly. When I was choosing a name for Shini, I took my brother's J-E dictionary, and just flipped through the pages. I stopped at a page, and pointed at it with my eyes closed. Somehow, my finger landed up on 'Shinigami'."

"Oh. That's a nice way of choosing a name for a pet. I should have thought of that when my sister got a pet hamster. She kept hogging me for a good name because she couldn't decide for herself."

"Really? No wonder my brother all but threw that dictionary at me." I laugh, and Heero laughs as well. For a moment there, his laughter soothes me and I feel calm.

"Heero, you know Japanese? You've learnt the language before?"

"My dad's Japanese, and he taught me a little when I was younger. I picked up some books later and learned on my own. It's my mother tongue, after all."

"You're part Japanese? That's cool! You know, with your blue eyes, I'd never think that you're Asian. But now that you mention it, I guess you do have Asian features…" I take a step back, and cock my head to the side slightly, eyes scrutinizing his face.

I guess I shouldn't have done that. He's blushing now.

"So you into any Japanese stuff?" I ask, hoping to ease the tension. "I mean… it's part of your heritage!"

"Japanese stuff?"

"Yeah! Like the games, and the animes…"

"…Does music count?"

"Of course! Whose music?"

"Kitaro."

"Aa… should have guessed. You like new age, don't you?"

I guess I shouldn't think too much about what's going on between Heero and me. If it's supposed to happen, it will, despite snide comments from school bullies and over-protective brothers. And if it's not really meant to happen, I have a gut feeling that Heero'll make it happen.

No, I've still got no idea what is it. But that sort of thing… it'll come to light in time. Heero'll make sure of it.

tbc-

(1): The mockingbird comment was inspired by Harper Lee's book 'To kill a mockingbird'. For those of you who haven't read it, go read it. It'll be worth every minute of your time.

Last revised 28th June 2005


	13. A Normal Day

Title: A Normal Day

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (our world and time), mildly obsessive Relena

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: GW's a great anime, so obviously I don't own it. FFX2 is a great game, so obviously I don't own it either. Playstation 2 is a great game console, so obviously I don't own it too. Wait, I own a Playstation 2, but I don't own the company producing it. This fanfic is strange, so obviously /I/ own it.

Thanks to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing efforts!

* * *

Another day at university. Another boring day.

Sigh. Life has become as interesting as a calm lake. Monotone, flat, boring. All I can see is a pool of water that I'd rather drink than admire.

I readjust the strap of my backpack, and start walking towards the parking lot. Quatre and the others are waiting for me; we're bound for his mansion (no matter what he thinks, that gigantic thing is a mansion!) for a project that's due in two months. I swear; Quatre's just too enthusiastic about this. Maybe he's luring me to his Playstation 2 so I can help him with FFX2 (1), since he bought the Japanese import when he knows close to nothing about the language.

He can be so impatient sometimes.

"Heero!"

I cringe. That voice… I turn around, and not in the least bit surprised, I see Relena coming my way. Of course I'm not surprised. How could I, when I had seen her loitering around my lecture hall earlier? God, I even had to squeeze my way into a crowd leaving the lecture hall and move with them so she wouldn't notice me. Apparently, it didn't work. I'll have to consult Trowa on how he can stay around at Quatre's mansion for so long and not get noticed by anyone else.

Ninmu… shippai.

"Heero! I went to your lecture hall earlier to look for you, but you weren't there! Where were you?" she huffs in mild irritation, pouting slightly.

"I… rushed out to look for someone."

"Oh. Anyway Heero, you remember this new restaurant I told you about the other day? I haven't been there yet. Why don't we go together?"

Is it just me, or she coming closer and closer? I gulp. "Why don't you go with Dorothy?"

She smiles in a way that reminds me of a mother admonishing her 5-year-old kid. "Don't be silly. You don't go for a candlelight dinner with your friend!"

"Candlelight… dinner?"

"Of course! What did you think it is?"

"I… I, err…" Shit. How am I going to get out of this?

"Hey! Relena!"

Relena spins around, and we both notice the guy coming towards us. I think I've seen him before, but I can't remember his name. Black hair, brown eyes, bespectacled… Looks familiar enough.

"Oh hi. Is anything the matter?" Relena asks sweetly, but I catch the confusion in her voice. I don't think she knows this guy either.

"Dorothy's looking for you. Said it's absolutely imperative that you meet her right away."

"Oh…"

He gestures to the back, shrugging. "I think she's still somewhere near the café."

"Okay. Thank you. Erm, Heero, we'll talk about this some other time. Bye." And she scampers off.

When she has finally disappeared within the shadows of the corridors, the guy turns back to me with a smirk. "She's persistent, isn't she?"

I blink. Was he helping me get rid of Relena? "Well…"

"You don't have to be embarrassed. Some girls are like that. They'll tag along everywhere even when they're not welcomed. I see dozens of girls like that every year here." He snorts, and rolls his eyes.

"Thank you…" I stutter, trying to put a name to his face. "…Solo."

Right, this guy's in my lecture and a couple of my classes. We're taking the same course. That slacker of a prodigy. Never pays attention in class, seldom hands up his work on time, yet he still passes his exams with damn high scores. I think he does that on purpose, just so he can grin smugly at our professors.

"Hey, no sweat. Just be careful of that lady," he says, and leaves without another word.

I sigh. I would if I could. It's not like I want her to stalk me. But like Solo had said, Relena's pretty persistent. In fact, I think she gives that word an entirely new definition. After all, she's been after me since we were in junior college. Sometimes I think she came to this university just because I'm here. From what I know, most Peacecrafts are into politics, and as good as our university is, it just doesn't offer a degree in that.

With a shrug, I head for the parking lot again. The guys should already be waiting for me. If I go any later, Quatre and Trowa might just start making out (they're borderline exhibitionists) and Catherine might just drive off alone and leave me to share a car with the lovebirds.

Sharing their car can be a nightmare. More than once, I've had to tell Trowa to keep his eyes on the road instead of on Quatre. On other occasions, I've been forced to remind Quatre that the handbrake is not where he thinks it is.

It's a wonder Trowa still has his license.

* * *

Quatre stretches his arms, and slumps back on his seat. "Well, I think we should stop here. We've done quite a bit already, and the project's not due for another two months!"

"Glad you're aware of that. Doing it so early…" Catherine grumbles, and grabs her can of orange juice for a long gulp.

"It's better to do it early than rush through it later when we haven't got time," Trowa answers, and grins when his boyfriend beams at him.

"Fine. So Quatre, you can go set up your Playstation now. That was your true intention, wasn't it? Get us here and hammer on your games," Catherine says off-handedly as she slams the now-empty can on the table.

We all know Quatre too well.

"If you say so, Cathy!" he laughs innocently, and heads for the game room.

We shrug at each other, and follow him. Settling down on the large beanbags, we wait for the game to load up. I sigh when the opening credits start. Bingo. It's FFX2.

"Quatre, that's Japanese. Are you…?" I start, rolling my eyes already.

He just gives me that angelic smile, start blinking like a doe, and nods.

"Fine… If you want me to help translate the text, you'd better feed me well!"

"Of course! You guys can stay over for dinner!"

"You kidding?" Catherine asks incredulously. "Any one of those ten-course dinner will make me put on ten pounds!"

Girls. Too little food, and they gripe about abusing their stomachs. Too much food, and they grumble about getting fat. Luckily, I've devised a method to prevent Hirde from complaining about that. I always tell her that if we can't finish our dinner, I'll keep them in the fridge so we can heat them up for dinner the next day. But my sister's terrified of leftovers; she thinks there's a whole colony of new organisms growing on them. Therefore, I always manage to get her to finish eating her share, no matter how much I cook.

"But Cathy, you're too skinny. You should eat more!"

Trowa. Big mistake.

"I'm not skinny! I'm slim! There's a difference!"

"What difference?"

"Skinny implies that I'm just a bag of bones, which I absolutely am not! Slim means that my figure's just fine," she explains, stretching her sides to show her waist.

Quatre nods wholeheartedly, like he really understands. He has no reason to not know it; having 29 sisters tends to do that to you. Then he turns back, and starts the game. Within seconds, a movie sequence rolls across the screen. Yuna, the female protagonist, begins a catchy tune and dances on stage (2).

"See?" Catherine exclaims, pointing at Yuna on screen. "That's what I call 'slim'. Like me."

Some girls… Once they get onto a topic, they won't drop it until everyone agrees with her. Catherine is, unfortunately for us, one of those girls. That's why I've never dated a girl.

Suddenly, all three of them turn and stare at me, wide-eyed. Shit, I think I just said that last sentence aloud.

"Heero… I think…"

Crap, even Trowa's looking at me funny.

"You're destined to be with Duo."

I think I just fell off my chair. And that's a good thing, because I can hide my face which is undoubtedly red like hell from them. But my butt hurts tremendously. Oww.

"Hey relax, Heero! What I mean is… you sound like you've been waiting for him," Trowa clarifies, and gives me a hand.

"Oh! That reminds me! Heero, how was your date with Duo the other day?" Quatre pauses his game, and stares at me.

I clamour to my feet, eyes darting around for a shovel so I can dig a hole and just dive in. No, no such luck. But then again, I think that even if I really dig a hole, my friends would just haul my sorry ass up and continue to interrogate me. And Quatre would charge the repairs to my bill.

"Like that," I murmur.

"Like what?"

"Just like that! We talked! That's all!"

"And? Surely, there's more! You can't be blushing just because of that? Or are you really that shy?"

"We just talked! What else could we do?"

Quatre blinks at me and leans over to Trowa. He plants a peck on his cheek, and turns to look expectantly at me. Trowa and Catherine are staring a hole in me.

"No! We didn't do that!" My feet are kind of numb; I think all my blood just went to my face.

Trowa puts an arm around Quatre's waist and pulls him close. He then wraps the other arms gently around his boyfriend as well.

"No! Didn't do that either!"

He removes one hand.

"No!"

He removes the other hand and just takes Quatre's hand into his.

"No…"

Catherine grips her fists tightly and looks upwards. "Fine, the kiss is too much for a serious first date. But you didn't even take his hand? You're pathetic!"

The blood vessels on my face are protesting of work overload. I can just hear it.

"Wait a minute. Did you… hold his hand… on /another/ date?"

Can my face get any redder? Yeah, I think it can, from the way the guys are staring at me.

"Erm… yeah."

"When?"

"Yesterday… met him in a park…"

"And?"

"While we were playing with his dog… I sorta took his hand for a while…"

They cheer. Loudly. Wildly. Crazily. Like their favourite soccer team just scored.

"Way to go, Heero!"

"Atta, boy!"

"Good for you!"

The interrogation goes on for quite a while, with all of them giving me expectant looks as I spill out the details on my so-called date. Why are they so… damn excited about this? So fine, I've never been in a relationship before. Big deal. I mean, there're tons of people out there who haven't dated before. There's bound to be. Quatre turns back to his game halfway through, but Catherine continues prodding me for juicy details. Trowa gazes at me, occasionally asking a question or two. His questions usually complement Catherine's. It's no wonder they're cousins.

Suddenly, Quatre turns back to me.

"Hey Heero, what is Yuna saying?" he asks, pointing at the television screen.

I reply without hesitation. "She said that you're too nosy and you should stop poking into your friend's business."

"Hey!"

* * *

I look at the phone with trepidation. To call or not to call…? Hmm… That is such a stupid question; of course I'm calling. But please, oh almighty gods out there, please let Duo pick up the phone! Let his brother be away or something!

Picking up the phone, I dial the familiar set of numbers. Familiar because I've been memorizing it. How many times have I dialed that number with the phone still on the cradle? C'mon, I don't want to call up the wrong people. It'd be so bothersome to the poor people on the other side of the line. Fine, so I'm getting mildly obsessed.

Ring… ring… ring…

"Hello? Who's there?"

Thank you, god. "Duo?"

"Heero?"

"Right. It's me. I'm just calling to…" Hear your voice, I thought. "…confirm that we're hanging out together again, right?"

"Yeah. Where do you wanna go?"

Is it just me, or is he smiling? I'm hoping… I'm hoping… I'm hoping…

"Erm… why don't we catch a movie?"

"Okay. Can we go to the cinema over at Queen's Plaza (3)? You know where it is?"

"Yeah. We can meet there, outside the ticket booth. Which movie do you want to watch?"

"Hmm… we can decide when we're there."

"Right. So… when are you free?" Tomorrow! Tomorrow please!

"I'm not free tomorrow, I think."

Why? Damn… I'm starting to sound melodramatic. Anyway… The day after tomorrow! The day after tomorrow! Please!

"I can make it the day after tomorrow though. Is that okay with you?"

Yes! Yes! Yes! "Sure! I'm free on that day!" If I'm not, I'll make sure I'll be free.

"So, we're meeting outside the ticket booth of the cinema at Queen's Plaza the day after tomorrow. Is that right?"

"All correct. Time?"

"I'd say… sometime after 12pm. How about 1pm?"

"That's fine with me," I answer, flopping onto my bed.

"Alright then. So… were you worried about calling?"

"Worried? About what?"

"My brother!" he asks, laughing out loud.

I snigger. "A little. He's rather… intimidating."

"Oh, he does that to /everyone/ asking for me. Well, nearly. Some of those I've flat out told him that it's impossible for anything to happen between us. Others… are my long-time pals or relatives. He knows them well enough," he chuckles lightly.

I know I'm not in the second category. I can't be. Not when I've known him for what… a little over a fortnight? And my mother once went through our family tree using a large photo album, so I know I have no relatives with Maxwell as their last names. Then… the first category… Am I in it? His brother didn't pick up this time.

"Your call… I had to stay beside the phone so he wouldn't beat me to it!"

Nobody wipe that goofy grin on my face. Nobody pinch me.

A few more minutes of small talk later, I hang up the phone and just lie in bed, grinning away. I might be slow, I might be dense, but even I can tell that this relationship is making some headway. Kawaii little Duo-chan…

Feeling lightheaded, I reach out for my mug on the nightstand. I don't even sigh when I notice it's empty. With a grin, I grab it and head to the kitchen to fill it up again. As I'm filling it, Hirde shuffles into the kitchen as well.

She doesn't notice me at all. Instead, she heads straight for the refrigerator and proceeds to rummage within it while puffing on a stick of pocky. Should I tell her that her diet is not going to work if she keeps on snacking? No, I think I'll get some good karma and let her stuff herself a bit. Lately, she's been eating too little.

Finally, she slams the fridge door shut and looking up, notices my existence for the first time.

"Yikes! Heero, can't you make some noise to let me know you're standing there?"

I don't answer.

And she takes a closer look at me.

"Are you alright?"

"Of course I am! Why shouldn't I be?"

"You look stupid with that grin."

"…"

"…"

Usually, this is where I pounce on her and threaten to limit her cell phone talk-time, but I'm feeling generous.

"Do I?" I reply mysteriously, and waltz back to my own room.

As I shut my door, I can hear Hirde talking to Wufei over the phone.

"Wufei? Can I stay over at your place tonight? I think Heero's finally gone off the far-end…"

-tbc-

(1): Short for Final Fantasy X-2. Currently, the English version of the game has not been released yet. So, the one Quatre has is in Japanese. Just a little reference to our world. Err… I don't own it.

(2): This is the real opening sequence to the game.

(3): Yes, I made up the name of this shopping complex.

Last revised 29th June 2005


	14. Homecoming

Title: Homecoming

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4, 13+11, implied 6+9

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I tried to bid on them at ebay, but the bid was sky-high by the time I got there. After a peek into my wallet and bank account, I backed down. Hence, I don't own GW. But hey, I do own /this/ ficcy.

Thanx to Dark Tenchi for the beta-ing job!

* * *

I unzip my backpack, and look inside. Camera, checked. Keys, checked. Photo albums, checked. Okay, everything's in. I can go now. Sometimes I feel stupid bring such a big bag for just those three items. But when I remind myself that I'm meeting Une, I know it's necessary. When she goes shopping, she buys up half the stuff in the shopping mall. Interestingly enough, half the things she buys aren't for herself.

It must be because she's the daughter of a billionaire whose generosity is so well known.

Une certainly lives up to being a Winner.

I pick up my backpack, and leave my room in a hurry. Treize and Une are probably already at the Winner mansion. They have finally returned after a month of vacation in Asia, and I can only imagine how much stuff they've bought. And of course, the number of rolls of film is probably another stellar number. I wonder just how many rolls did Treize take? One thing's for sure though: they must have had a hell of a time lugging their luggage back here.

Once I'm out of my room, Hirde stops me.

"Wait! Where're you going?"

"I've told you already. I'm going over to Quatre's. Trieze and Une just came back, and Quatre's holding a party to welcome them home."

She raises an eyebrow. "Honestly Heero, why is it that you're /always/ going over to Quatre's house? Can't you go to someone else's house for a change?"

"His house is big enough for all of us and we don't even have to clean up. He's got servants to do that. Anyway, I won't be home to make tonight, but make sure you eat something. I don't want you to skip your meals, you understand?" I tell her.

She tugs at my sleeve. "But Heero, I can't cook! Do you wanna see the kitchen in ruins when you come home later?"

"Like I've never seen it before…" I mutter, knowing full well the horrors on Hirde in the kitchen. "Hirde, for the sake of the kitchen's health, order take-out. I've copied down all the telephone numbers and put them under the phone. And here's…" I reach into my pocket and pull out my wallet. Flipping it open, I grin when I see Duo's picture inside. "…$50."

"Fine… but I'm keeping the change," she replies with a pout, and flops onto the living room couch. Picking up the list of numbers I left her, she scrutinizes it. No doubt she's choosing what she wants for dinner.

I shrug, and leave the house in haste. One Quatre Winner fussing for a late friend is bad enough; one Quatre Winner and one Une Winner fussing together will kill me.

* * *

"Treize! Une! Glad you're back!"

Treize grins at me and Une sweeps me into her arms for a long hug. She's always been the touchy-feely type.

"Heero! It's been quite a while! How have you been?" she asks, patting me on my head.

Apart from being touchy, Une's the 'big sister' type too. Looks after everyone, won't take crap from anyone, and absolutely dotes on us younger ones. Apparently, the fact that I'm only three years younger than her always slips her mind. After I get out of her hug, I sit around with the others on the carpeted floor.

"I've been fine."

"Fine?" Zechs snorts with a haughty smirk. "I'd say he's been more than fine. After all, how can one feel just 'fine' after one has found his one true love?"

His tone reminds me of the irritating narrator found in many of Disney's fairytales.

Quatre and Catherine break into peals of laughter. Even Trowa's biting his lips in an effort to not laugh out loud.

"What?" Trieze and Une exclaim in unison.

No wonder they're a couple. Hey, they've got the couple-chorusing thing right. What's more, they have the ability to complement each other's words. And I have a feeling I should brace myself for that.

"You have a girlfriend now?"

"BOY-friend," Une corrects. She's always known me so well.

"Treize, Une, you two should know better than to believe Zechs!"

"Hey, I resent that comment!"

"What I'm saying is that you guys should take his words with a pinch of salt. He blows everything out of proportion!"

I think Zechs is trying to protest, but Quatre just stuffs a pillow in his face, so I can't actually make out what those muffled whines are. Oh well.

"So… you've fallen in love?"

"Well, I… Okay, I just met this person whom I like a lot. We've gone out together a couple of times. That's that. Nothing more." Of course, things will be progressing. I'm not stupid enough to make it end here.

"Yet!" Catherine singsongs, and Quatre just nods sagely. I wonder if the little sneak will still be this happy when I smuggle his plasma television screen home.

"So am I right? Is it a guy? What's his name? What does he look like? Or is it a she?"

Crap. Une's getting excited. If her excitement level goes any higher, I think I might have to run away. She has the tendency to ask questions in commander mode when she's all keyed up. And god forbid if you don't answer her. If she was employed in any police department, she'd be the star of the interrogation team. Suspects will blabber every minute detail of their plan or involvement just to get out of her sights. Or in some cases, her firing range.

Treize must have sensed the change as well, and he quickly cuts in to save my scrawny butt.

"Une dear, why don't you take out the photos we took during our holiday? I bet they're all waiting for it."

"Oh gosh, I almost forgot about those!" She laughs, and pulls the stacks of pictures behind her. "There you go. It's amazing how fast these photos can be developed nowadays. Especially when I can just, you know, mention my last name in a casual conversation with the shopkeeper…"

We chuckle. Although Une's not the type to throw her weight around because of her family, she does enjoy using it to her advantage sometimes.

As I reach out to grab a pile of photos, I thank god for Une's short attention span that can rival a goldfish's. The rest of the guys also take a stack of the glossy pictures each, and comments start springing up like desert plants after a shower.

"Wow! The scenery's fabulous!"

"You guys visited a farm? This sheep looks like he's trying to bite Treize…"

"Oohh. Pretty babes at the beach. That reminds me. I should call that chick I met at the beach the other day."

Catherine and Une raise their eyebrows at him.

Zechs laughs nervously. "Just kidding. I'll be calling Noin later."

The girls nod in satisfaction and I manage to hide my snigger behind the photos. It's hard to believe that Zechs would ever settle down, but I think the girls will continue their good job of keeping him in line.

The little pique talks continue as I scrutinize the pictures in my hands. Treize is not a professional photographer either, but he certainly has a knack for it. Some of the photos are just plain weird; I'd admit that much. Gosh, who in their right mind would take a photo of the pavement? But the others… are beautiful. He captures the right amount of light for contrast and the angle he takes them are nothing to be scoffed at either.

Well, Une's not quite as good with the camera, it seems. Some of the photos featuring Treize are a little blurry and out of focused, and the others are either too dark or too bright. Of course, her photo taking skills have its redeeming points as well…

"Treize, is this…?" I ask. I must present myself with an Oscar for keeping a straight face; inwardly, I'm rolling on the ground and laughing my ass off.

He furrows his eyebrows in what seems to be confusion, and he reaches out to take the picture back. Before he does, however, Trowa has already beaten him to it. And the rest of the guys crowds around him to catch a glimpse of the photo.

Countdown. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1…

"Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Much as I'd expected, all of them are clutching at their sides and laughing hard.

"Is a black eye the latest trend?"

"Or you couldn't afford a black eye patch and decided to improvise?"

"Jeez! You should have blackened the other eye as well and go to Japan and market the latest darling of the anime industry! Imagine, Panda-mon!"

"What?" Treize yells, and snatches the photo back from Zechs' lax hands. He takes one look at it and groans, "Oh crap! Une, I thought I told to throw this away!"

Une shrugs. "You deserved it."

"But really, Treize. Where did you get that black eye?" Catherine asks, still snickering.

"You know that Treize took care of all the travel documents and our hotels because I was busy at that time, right? Well, with all that excitement over his camera, he had forgotten to book a hotel room for us in Japan. Worse still, it wasn't the first time! He'd forgotten to book one for our stay in Thailand too! If it weren't for the nice desk clerks who quickly called up a nearby hotel for us, we'd have been stuck on the streets!"

"So you boxed him one?"

"I was fed up, okay? Apparently, the desk clerk's definition of 'nearby' is very different from mine. We had to trek like… halfway across the city!"

"It wasn't that far…" Treize mutters, but one glare from Une promptly shuts him up.

"Was there anything funny that happened during your holiday?" Quatre interrupts. Perfect timing, I might say.

"Of course! When we were in Singapore, we had a little language problem because we weren't too sure what language the people spoke. One day, we were shopping in this really posh mall, and I needed a smaller size for a dress. So I asked the nearest salesgirl, who was a Chinese by the way, for it. But I thought she couldn't speak English, so I was struggling like hell with my oh, so pathetic Chinese. Halfway through my struggle, she smiled at me and said, 'Miss, what do you need?' in perfect English! I was sooo embarrassed."

"But Une, if that place was a posh shopping mall, the salespeople should at least know some English. You of all people should know that. So why did you ask her in Chinese?"

"She'd been talking to another customer before me. In Chinese. How was I supposed to know she's a bilingual?"

I look at Treize, and we give each other a helpless shrug. Suddenly, I feel something move behind me and pull out something from my pocket. Immediately, I zoom back, only to see a flash of blonde hair.

"Zechs! What was that for?" I gripe, reaching for my back pocket. Feeling nothing where my wallet should be, I growl, "Hey, that's my wallet! Give it back!"

Not that I believe he'll actually give it back just like that. And just as I expected, he starts to check through my stuff instead of answering me. Quatre and Cathy peek from behind him, both looking at the contents of my wallet with obvious interest. When I lunge forward to swipe it back, Trowa holds me back.

"We'll give it back. Later."

"Trowa!"

"Found it!" Zechs exclaims suddenly, and pulls a sheet of something out.

"Found what?" Treize asks, his brows knitted together in confusion. Une sits beside him, equally confused.

"This!" Catherine replies, and takes the sheet over to them. "See this brown spot over here? It's the guy Heero's besotted with! That's his hair."

"Catherine!" I yell. My god… whose bright idea was it to tell the guys about the photo? I'll kill him. …Wait. I think it was me. Damn.

The couple stares at the photo for minutes in silence. What is it? It's unnerving, to remain silent like that. Suddenly, I feel like I'm showing my parents my boyfriend's photo.

After a long while, they look up at me.

"Heero, is this the only photo you have of him?"

I think they're amused. Very amused. I can tell that from the way Une's biting her bottom lip and looking elsewhere, and from the way Treize's lips are curling upwards.

"Yes. So what of it? Give it back to me! There's nothing to see!"

"You're definitely right about that. My god, can't you get a normal picture? You're not Pablo Picasso, you know? Abstract photography? C'mon, describe how he looks to me since this photo's no help at all."

"You wish…" I mutter, diving forward to grab the photo. Trowa, seeming to take sympathy on me, hands me my wallet. Carefully, I slot the photo back. Damn, a corner of the photo has been folded. Zechs is going to find more than just frogs in his dinner soon…

"Why not? He's too ugly to let us know about?"

"Of course not! Duo's beautiful!" I rebuke, feeling a little irked.

"Well then, convince me!"

Convince him I will. And I'll wipe off that confident smirk on his face too.

"Fine. Duo's absolutely gorgeous. He's got violet irises that shine! Violet, okay? They're violet! How many people in this world have irises of that colour? His eyes are so exotic and rare! And although his hair looks chestnut, he's actually got streaks of red and gold running through them. His hair is very long, and looks extremely soft and silky. I haven't touched it yet, but I /know/ it's soft and silky. And when he smiles, you'd think he's an angel…" An image of his smile surfaces in my mind, and I suddenly feel warm inside.

"Why?"

"Because his eyes twinkle when he smiles… and his smiles are beautiful. Whether it's a grin, a smirk, a chuckle or a real smile… they're all beautiful on him…" I whisper, and as suddenly as the trance overtook me, it leaves me. And I'm embarrassed as hell to have blurted all that out.

"Aww! Heero, that was lovely! You should say that to him!"

"I… I…"

"Hmm… you should write that down. You tend to forget speeches when you go on stage, so you may forget that one too. I'll go get some pen and paper…" Quatre utters, and stands up.

Within minutes, he hands me a sheet of clean paper and a blue pen.

"I'm supposed to write all that down?"

"Why not? You know, you could just start a list of beautiful things like that to tell Duo when you finally do confess your feelings to him. It might be easier on you."

I can just see it. Me, writing all night, and the guys prompting me on all night. Sigh… why are my friends so concerned about me falling in love? I just don't get it.

-tbc-

Last revised 29th June 2005


	15. Their Second Date

Title: Their Second Date

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I wanted to ask Santa to give me the GW boys as a Christmas present, but when I looked at the calendar, I noticed that it was only April. So I'm still waiting for December to arrive. In the meantime, I'm gonna be a nice little kid and say that the GW boys do not belong to me. Any movies mentioned aren't mine either. The story is though.

Thanx to Dark Tenchi for the beta job!

* * *

Queen Plaza. Unless those big, golden letters were plucked from somewhere else and placed here, I'm at the right place. 12.45 pm. I stare at my watch. Last night, I went around my apartment, comparing the time on my watch and the clocks and Hirde's watches to make sure mine was accurate. In fact, I called Trowa and asked him for the time. So yeah, I'm sure I'm early. It really won't give him a good impression if I turn up late.

I was so excited about today that I couldn't fall asleep last night. Of course, that resulted in me nearly cursing my alarm clock for not waking me up at 10am. Luckily, Queen Plaza is just a neighbourhood shopping complex, so it's just within walking distance from my place. Otherwise, I'd have been very late.

I look around. No, Duo's not here yet. But of course: I'm fifteen minutes early. Zechs told me that if I'm going out on a movie date with Duo, and I want to impress him, I should arrive early and get the tickets, popcorn and other snacks all ready. Good suggestion; I think I'll go queue up for the snacks now.

The last time I caught a movie in the cinema was like… 3 years ago. In the course of 3 years, how had the price of popcorn managed to shoot up this much? The locusts must have gobbled up the cornfields. Or something like that. Geez.

Anyway, I get to the front of the queue in minutes.

"I want…" I start, but I suddenly recall that I've no idea what Duo likes. I've completely no idea what his preferences are when it comes to movie snacks (in fact, I'm still trying to make out his preferences for a lot of things). It might be better if I just wait for him and ask him instead. However, this is a good opportunity for me to try and guess what he'd want. If he likes what I choose, shouldn't that at least prove that I know him a little more than I did when we went out for our first date?

"Yes, sir? What do you want?" the girl behind the counter prompts, subtly raising an eyebrow at the queue of people behind me.

In my daydreaming, I had forgotten I was still queuing up. Thank god Duo's not here to see this…

"A medium sized popcorn. Make it salty. And two regular sized coca cola, and…" I reply, eyes darting around the shelves. My eyes land on something, and a sudden urge overwhelms me. "…a bar of Mars chocolate."

The girl nods, keys a few buttons on the cash register and moves away to get my orders. She comes back much faster than I give her credit for, and I hand over the cash. Carrying all my stuff in my arms, I leave the counter and sit down on a nearby bench. All that stuff is a little hard to carry around.

Putting the bag of popcorn and the beverage beside me, I stare at the Mars bar in my hand. What was I thinking? Give this to Duo, and it'd feel like he's eating himself up. Eating himself… Bad Heero! Bad! Bad! Bad! My god… If Duo eats this, I know I'll be dreaming of it for days. Dreaming? Make that fantasizing. And Hirde'll kill me for all the dirty laundry she'd have to do.

I sigh, reluctantly looking up again. I think I actually punched myself or something during my mental chastising… The people around are looking at me strangely, like they have the urge or social obligation to ring up the nearest asylum. That might be a good idea; I feel like knocking my head into the wall anyway. The cushioned walls might just save my life.

Well, there's this one guy who is looking at me differently. You know, that look of understanding and the sympathy's coming out in waves? Right, that type. With a slight shaking of his head, he walks over to me.

I blink, and wait. In but five strides, he's beside me.

"First date?" One sympathy tsunami, coming right up. I think I can just drown.

"…No."

"Second date then!" The man laughs, patting me on my back. "Don't worry, kid. I used to have the same problem."

"What problem?"

"Oh, don't pretend! I know what you were thinking! You must have thought, 'Gosh! Should I hold her hand later? Can I put my arm around her waist? Will I be overstepping the borders if I do this, or do that…' But really kid, looking at a bar of chocolate and thinking dirty thoughts so soon is kinda…"

"How did you-?" I slap a hand over my uncooperative, big mouth. It seems that Hirde isn't the only one who can't keep her mouth shut. Maybe running off at the mouth is something that runs in my family. Heh, is that a pun?

He laughs. "Well, the blush on your face earlier just gave it away. Besides, a nice guy will beat himself up if he thinks of… 'dirty' thoughts. Anyway, like I said, you don't have to worry. Things will progress by itself if it's meant to be. Like me and my girl."

"What… happened?"

"I was like you, not knowing how to treat her on our first few dates. I wanted to hold her hand, but I didn't dare to reach out. When we were about to cross the road, she reached out for my hand and told me that it was safer to cross the road that way. Oh, I thought that she was treating me like a kid. It was embarrassing. Still, I didn't shake her hand off or anything. And even when we were on the other side of the road, we didn't let go," he replies, smiling a happy little smile at the memory.

"Just remember kid. If it's meant to happen, it will. Don't think too much about it, or you'll give yourself a headache."

I grin. "Speaking from first hand experience?"

He grins back. "Maybe? I'm not gonna tell! Ah, my girl is here. Gotta go!" And he leaves, walking up to a woman who's just arrived. With a slight kiss, he wraps an arm around her waist, and gently leads her away. I can't help but notice just how their bodies seem to meld together.

As they enter the theatre, I hear the girl asking her boyfriend just who was that teenager he was talking to. I can't catch his reply, but I can just imagine him telling her that I'm his good deed for the day. I really do feel calmer now.

Closing my eyes, I envision it. I'm waiting for Duo somewhere, anywhere, and he appears, looking perfect as usual. He walks up to me, gives me a peck on my cheek, and hugs me. I hug him back, and pull him closer with my arms. Then, taking his hand, we walk off to wherever we're dating.

It's a lovely vision. Hopefully, that'll come true one day.

"Hey! What're you thinking?"

I'm snapped back to reality at the sound of that voice. "Duo?"

"Of course! Unless you're expecting someone else?" He smirks.

"No! Of course not!" I almost stutter. Duo looks wonderful today. I think he's the only one who can make a pair of jeans and a t-shirt look special. He's breathtaking. Wait, I think that can go into my 'confession list', the one Quatre made me start last night. _I can't breathe, because the sight of you takes my breath away. _I mentally file that away.

"Hey, is that a Mars bar you've got in your hands?"

"Yeah… You want it?" I offer, remembering that he'd mentioned that he adored the chocolate on our first dinner date. I'm masochistic, I know. At most, I'll do the laundry the next few days. Or for as long as the fantasy stays in my mind.

"Thanks! I love Mars chocolate!" he exclaims, and takes the bar. "So are we gonna catch a movie now?"

I nod a little too zealously; it feels like my head's going to drop off. "So… which movie do you want to watch? There's quite a few to choose from."

Duo glances around the cinema, eyes darting from one movie poster to another. As he ponders my question, he bites his bottom lip and his eyes dance with hardly-contained excitement. It is, like all of his other expressions, a particularly endearing one.

The way he looks… I feel like grabbing his hand right now. Or perhaps even more, if he'd let me. God… let Duo choose some horror movie that is so terrifying it'll make his hair stand up on end. And hopefully, he'll jump into my arms when the zombie jumps at the screen.

"Do you go for comedies?"

Bye bye fantasy. "Yeah."

"Why don't we watch 'Johnny English' (1)? You know, that spoof of a secret agent movie? I think it'll be funny. Besides, the next show opens in five minutes. We'll make it just in time."

Even if Duo told me that he wants to watch a Pokemon movie, I'll still go over the moon and say 'yes'. So of course, I agree to the secret agent movie, even though I'd much rather watch a horror flick with him. At least, I console myself, I won't be subjected to the torturous sight of a big, yellow lump of fur throwing electricity around (2).

Quickly, we purchase our tickets and enter the theatre with our snacks. Duo had thanked me for my thoughtfulness at getting the popcorn and drinks early, and flashed me a dazzling smile. It almost makes up for not watching a horror flick. Anyway, we settle into our seats and wait for the show to start.

Unfortunately, though expectedly, the obligatory commercials roll across the screen. I glance at him; the light from the screen lit up his features in a very nice way, and I find myself momentarily dazed. If Duo hadn't turn to face me, I think I could as well have missed the entire movie and still not notice it.

"Is there anything you need, Heero?" he whispers, lips precariously close to my face.

"Err… why don't you have some popcorn?" I reply, reminding myself that Duo is just being considerate by keeping his volume down inside a theatre. Leaning in close to me is just his thoughtfulness.

He frowns a little, and I get worried. Did I do anything wrong? But then he smiles, and nods.

"Okay." He reaches for one popcorn and pops it into his mouth. "I think the girl at the counter likes you; she put quite a bit of butter in there."

"You don't like it?"

"Oh no! Popcorn without butter is like pancakes without syrup. It's nice! You should try some yourself."

I try a piece. "It's good."

"Of course it is."

I want to answer, but the opening music of the movie strums up and I quickly turn my attention back to the movie; I'm sure Duo wouldn't like it if I spent all my time gawking at him, even though the thought is pretty tempting.

* * *

"The movie's pretty funny, isn't it?" Duo asks gamely, as we leave the cinema. "I thought the coronation part was hilarious, although it's quite lame. What do you think?"

"… It was… stupid."

"Exactly! Gosh, if I ever become a secret agent or a fighter for peace, I'll do so much better than him."

In all honestly, I hadn't paid much attention to that part of the movie. In fact, I didn't even know there was such a scene. There're many reasons for my inattentiveness. But the biggest, most important reason is because Duo started to eat his Mars bar halfway into the movie. My god… the way his tongue flicked over the chocolate and the way he licked the half-melted chocolate on his lips… and the little sounds of satisfaction flowing from his mouth…

I can just see Hirde throwing my bed sheets back at me, yelling at me to wash them myself. I might need to pick up some more washing detergent on my way home later.

"Heero! Earth to Heero! Yo!"

Belatedly, I notice something moving up and down before my eyes.

"…Sorry, Duo. I was just thinking."

He sniggered. "Enjoyed the little trip in space while you were spaced out?"

I blush.

"So… are you going anywhere now? I've got a little chore to do at home, so I've gotta run."

"So early?"

"Well, we could always… hang out together again."

"Yeah, we could…" I reply, feeling somewhat dejected already. I wanted to ask him out for dinner. Suddenly, a thought comes to me and I perk up. "Let me send you home!"

He stares at me, wide eyed. But a chuckle breaks the tension quick enough. "Sure! And don't worry; my brother won't be home this early."

We both laugh at that, and slowly stroll towards his place. As we walk, we also chat a little more about ourselves. I tell him about Quatre's obsession with computer games, and how he'd bought a Japanese imported game without understanding the language. Duo then laughingly replies that he's in quite a similar situation, but his brother helps him out with the text and all.

As we round a corner, a road looms into sight. It might be a good opportunity to grab Duo's hand. But suddenly, the man's words come back to me. Things will progress by itself if it's meant to be. I smile inwardly; I shouldn't rush things. Apparently, Duo doesn't think so.

His hand slides into mine and grabs firmly. When I stare at him, he flushes faintly.

"Sorry… I did some voluntary work during the summer holidays for some young children… and I'm supposed to grab their hands whenever we have to cross the road. I'm too used to it, I guess," he explains, hand slowly leaving mine.

But I hold on tightly. "Lead me across then, Duo." I smirk at him, almost as if I'm daring him. Of course, my mind's all a twitter, hoping desperately that he'll play along with me.

He blinks for a moment, but a glimmer of mischief appears in his eyes. "Why not?"

So we cross the road with our hands intertwined, and I must say that his hands are the warmest I've ever felt. Warm, soft and smooth. I like it. And for a moment, I worry that he'll want to pull away. I know I should let him too; things will progress if it's meant to be. But really, I'd much prefer following my father's best piece of advice: follow your emotions.

Instead of releasing his hand, I grab it even tighter. "Since you've led me across the busy road, you should be a nice guy and lead me to the end, you know."

He laughs. "Of course! I can't very well leave things done half-way!"

And we continue strolling and conversing. If anyone were to see us now, perhaps they'd think that we're a couple going out on a date. I sure feel like I'm playing the part.

Soon, we reach the park. Yes, THE park. The park where I first took Duo's picture, the park where I met him when he was walking his dog. The park. Suddenly, I'm reminded of the camera in my backpack. Treize's words yesterday reminded me that I want a photo of Duo. A real photo. One where I can see his face properly.

"Duo?"

"Yea?"

"Can I… take some photos of you?"

"Now? Here? But why?"

"Because… I want to. I like photography, but I've never found a suitable model. You are… perfect."

He doesn't catch the underlying meaning of my words. He considers my proposition for a moment, silently, and finally nods.

"Ok."

That afternoon, with every flash of my camera, my heart pounded. Duo's every smile, every twinkling of his eyes, every whipping wisp of hair… I captured. And kept. For remembrance's sake, we approached a passerby and sought her help in getting a photo together.

When the roll of film ran out, I took his hand again and walked him back to the bottom of his apartment. I would love to tell my friends that I kissed him goodbye and left, but I did not.

I merely offered him a smile, and a promise to show him the photos the next time we dated.

As strange as it sounds, it was enough. For now.

-tbc-

(1): This has got to be one of the lamest movies I've ever watched, but at least I had a great laugh at the theatre. Some parts are pretty funny. Anyway, I don't lay claim to it.

(2): Can you tell that I'm not really fond of Pokemon?

Last revised 29th June 2005


	16. Four Days One Night

Title: Four Days One Night

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, past Mariemaia+2, implied 5+H

Warnings: Alternating POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: Mothers' Day has just passed by, and my children gave me the GW gang as a present. However, since I currently have no children, that scenario has not happened yet. So no, I do not own GW. I gave this fic to myself for Mothers' Day though.

Note: I made up the way universities are run in this fic, since I've only heard about it. So please take this as artistic license. This part contains scenes from Heero and Duo's lives over a period of 5 days, and every break in the fic represents another day.

Thanx to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

(Heero POV)

I slither into the tutorial room from the back door, hoping that the tutor won't catch me sneaking in. Yeah, I'm late to class. But it's not my fault that my bladder decided it would be fun to empty itself 3 minutes before lessons started. So it's technically not my fault, though I have no desire to explain this to the tutor and hence the entire class.

Therefore, I'm creeping into class. So far, so good.

Now comes the problem of finding a seat. Trowa and Quatre usually reserve a seat for me, but it seems that everyone else had arrived in class early and took up every available chair. Left two for them, but none for me. Gee. Quatre looks at me with his trademarked puppy look that meant 'sorry'; I shake my head, telling him it's alright.

Just as I'm about to slink into the lone seat beside some unidentified girl (No, she's not an alien. I've just not bothered to remember her name), I hear someone whispering my name in a firm tone. I turn, and notice that it's Solo. He points at the lone seat at his right, and I smirk. Quickly, I slide over.

"Thanks!"

"No problem! But really, what were you thinking? Sitting beside Jennifer? That potential Relena wannabe?"

"What?" I blink stupidly.

"Haven't you noticed the way she looks at you?"

I shake my head.

Solo points at her. "She, predator," -he turns his finger towards me- "You, prey."

"Oh…"

"Yeah, you were that close to having another stalker. Girls like that… once you sit beside them, they'll think it's an intentional action to get close to them, and they'll walk around proclaiming you love them. Really Heero, you should be more careful about this sorta…"

"Solo!"

Shit, our tutor is glaring at the both of us. That bit… witch is infamous for her 'write lines' punishment, and has always topped the 'Most hated person in university' list we students write up every semester. Probably due to her unreasonable demands about a student's character, horrid fashion sense that we sometimes considered abuse of our eyes, and a tendency to run off at the mouth with loads of crap ranging from her neighbour's dog to her husband. Really, I don't think anyone wants to hear about a mentally unsound man who had dared to marry her (1).

The point is: Solo and I are in deep trouble.

"I suppose you can repeat what I just said, since you were so deeply engaged in a conversation at the back of the room?"

She's wearing this irritating smile, arms crossed and looking smug. In other words, she looks as though she should be dragged to some dark alley and beaten black and blue.

I stare at Solo. He just gives me a winsome grin, stands up and looks back at her.

"You said, 'Class, listen carefully. You're all going to have to do a project for this term, and it'll make up quite a percentage for your scores. You're supposed to write a detailed business proposal (2), and start up a small business according to that plan. The university will give you a budget, which I will tell you later, and you should set up your mini businesses here on campus. You can keep any profits made, but you have to return the initial amount back to the university. Is that understood? Anyway, you're supposed to do this in pairs,'" Solo replies in a falsetto, grinning all the time.

Our tutor, Mrs. Smith, grits her teeth and puts her folder down onto her desk. If I were her, I suppose I'd be irked as hell. After all, I think Solo had just repeated her instructions word for word. I told you he's a slacker prodigy.

"Very good. I suppose you were listening. Well then, I shall continue. Your proposals have to be on my desk in two week's time; any late proposals will /not/ be tolerated and I'll give it a zero immediately." At this, she glared at Solo, who smiled right back at her charmingly. "Your businesses should be set up in 6 weeks from now. Is that understood?"

Now is the time to do the nod-your-head action tutors love.

"I'm going to pair you up now. Kenny, you're with Eric. Jennifer, you're with Trowa."

At that, I hear that soft but still audible groan from Quatre. Suddenly, I find myself pitying Jennifer. She may be a Relena wannabe, but she won't stand up to a worried / protective boyfriend. She'll probably want to run away from Quatre soon.

"Heero, you're doing it with Solo."

Solo turns to me, and holds out his hand. "Welcome to the world of late proposals. Or maybe Smith just wants to see me hand in an assignment on time for once. You've never turned in an assignment late, have you?"

"No," I answer, and take his hand firmly. I was going to have fun doing this project.

* * *

(Duo POV)

I sip at my carton of orange juice, silently listening to Marie grouse about… everything. She gets bitten by the irritation bug every once in a while, and when that happens, I usually try to keep my mouth shut. Why? Because there's a distinct possibility that the gun will be pointed at me, thus drowning me under a barrage of complaints. I'll let Sylvia handle the situation first; if it goes out of her control, I /might/ consider stepping in to help.

"Gods! How is it that I flunked my math test? I studied for it!"

Sylvia offers her a faint smile, and takes a look at Marie's test paper. After a while, she points at a question on the paper. "See? You just made a calculation mistake here."

Marie glances at it, and slaps her forehead. "I had a god damned calculator! How could this happen!"

"Don't worry! Maybe you were just nervous and keyed in the wrong numbers. Things like that happen all the time! I do it sometimes too!"

"I know, I know," Marie sighs, leaning on her propped up hands. "But I'm just worried!"

"About what?"

"About university. We're graduating soon, remember? If my results carry on like this, I'm not gonna make it to a university! And I'll be flipping burgers in Burger's King come next year while you two are in the most prestigious university in this country. Or maybe the world."

"Burger's King? I've heard that the pay at KFC's better."

Oops. Did I say that out loud? Marie's glaring at me, and Sylvia's looking as though she's going to burst out laughing. Oh crap… now Marie's gonna gripe at me. Bad mouth, bad mouth. Why can't I shut up?

"Right, and I can give you a discount!" Marie replies so sweetly I'm getting goose bumps. "I'll add some extra stuff for you even! Arsenic, rat poison or DTT? Your choice."

I should have known. Marie can be very mean when she wants to be. Better to shut up now.

"Marie, you shouldn't worry so much. I could tutor you if you want."

Thank you, Sylvia.

Marie shakes her head. "No, it's okay. You're gonna be busy with your own studies. I'll… think of something."

"Okay. But you can always ask me if you can't solve a problem, be it math or literature or… whatever it is. I'm sure Duo'll be happy to help you too."

"Yeah, thanks. But really… have you two decided on which university you wanna go? And which subject do you wanna major in?"

"I… I want to study law. But I'm not sure which university yet. My parents want to send me abroad, but I want to stay here," Sylvia answers, a little hesitantly, as though she's afraid her parents will get wind of her words. I guess I understand that; her parents have always been very strict towards her, way before I knew her.

"What about you, Duo?"

"Me? I guess I…"

"I know! You're aiming to get into that Heero's school, right?" Marie interrupts excitedly. Geez. Ever since I came clean about my dinner at Pizza Hut with Heero, she's been adamant that I'm dating him and has tried everything short of stalking to get details about our relationship. She's a little crazy, considering that we had a short-lived relationship a couple years ago. Yeah, she got intimidated by my oh-so-protective brother.

"No."

"But Duo! This is such a good opportunity to get closer to your Heero!" she teases, and laughs suddenly. "You know, if he's a hero, doesn't that make you the damsel in distress? Or even a princess?"

"Marie! Heero is not hero. Hero is not Heero. Heero is Heero. Hero is hero (3). There's a difference. Get it?"

She blinks innocently, as though she understands. Then, she turns a sweet smile at me. "No. Honestly, Duo. Just admit he's your boyfriend and /maybe/ I'll stop talking about this for… the next hour."

"He's not my boyfriend! God… it's bad enough that I have to deal with Howie at home, and now I've to deal with you too! Why is it that all of you think we're dating?"

"Oh Duo honey, of course you're dating him. You've been going out with him so much the last couple of days that you're almost forgetting us!"

"Marie, going out with someone does not constitute dating!"

"Whatever. Anyway, have you two kissed?"

"Marie!"

I sneak a look at Sylvia, hoping that she'll just help me or something. Erm, better not be 'something'. If she decides to take Marie's side, I think I might be coerced into believing that I /am/ dating Heero. But I notice her looking down, as though she isn't paying attention to us. Which is very strange, because we're her only close friends here and she's always listened to whatever rubbish we're saying. Her policy seems to be 'never ignore us', or rather/seemed/ to be. I'm about to call her name, but Marie butts right in with another irksome comment.

"So is Heero a good kisser?"

This is going to be a damn long day…

* * *

(Heero POV)

I quickly add some salt into the wok and continue to stir the vegetables. After a while, I turn off the stove and shove the cooked food onto a plate. Putting the wok back onto the stove, I wipe my face with a facial tissue and sigh. It's too hot inside the kitchen; I should install a fan or something. Yeah, and it'll put out the fire.

Sigh.

I add some sunflower oil into the wok and start the stove again. Picking up the rice I cooked earlier, I dump it into the wok and start stirring again. Add some green beans, some diced carrot and some corn, and some seasoning, I stir again. When I'm certain everything's cooked, I scoop up the rice. Ta-dah. Fried rice.

As I take the finished dishes out to the dining table, I wonder if I can cajole Hirde into doing this sometimes. Cooking is such a chore; girls should do it instead. But I'm not even sure if my sister is a girl. She's such a tomboy I'm shocked that she can still find herself a boyfriend. Probably because Wufei doesn't really take a liking towards girls?

Honestly, it's not as if I've never tried to get Hirde to do some housework. But ever since she broke twenty plates and bowls, I've banned her from going near the stove and oven. And she hates vacuuming the floor, hates wiping the tables and shelves, hates cleaning the windows… Actually, I think she hates all housework. It's an amazing feat I performed to get her to even agree to doing the laundry; I should probably stop pushing for more.

Suddenly, the phone rings and I pick it up.

"Hello? Yuy residence."

"Heero? Zechs here. Just calling to ask whether you wanna go out for dinner with us. You know that new restaurant in town that's doing a large buffet now? Quatre's giving us all a treat there."

"Sorry, but I've already got dinner ready. And Hirde'll be home any minute now."

"That's too bad. I've heard that the buffet's really delicious. Aa… Anyway, what did the great chef Yuy prepare tonight?"

"Just some Chinese dishes I read in a recipe book some time ago."

"Hmm. You know, there aren't many guys who can and are willing to cook as often as you do. Duo is so privileged."

I frown. "What do you mean? What does the fact that I can cook have anything to do with Duo?"

"You're so dense. Cooking is your forte! So try whipping something up for Duo! Get to his heart through his stomach!"

"Oh."

"Is that all you can say? Anyway, I've got to get going. Cathy will talk my ears off if I'm late for dinner."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

I hang up the phone, mind thinking about Zechs' comment. Cook something for Duo. That doesn't sound like a bad idea, actually. In fact, I like it because cooking is one of the things I'm confident in; lesser probability of screwing it up. I file the idea away mentally.

* * *

(Duo POV)

I gently pull the slippers away from Shini's mouth. God, I swear Shini eats anything in sight.

"Shini, you'll choke on Howie's slippers. Either because of the size, or because of the smell. Let go! Shini!" I yell, and pull harder, but he refuses to concede. More than a little frustrated, I lift the slippers up, hoping that he'll let go. He holds on tightly, and I'm almost amused by the sight of Shini dangling in mid-air, mouth still lodged onto the slippers.

I hold it in place for a while, and Shini shows no sign of letting go. Sighing, I plop the slippers back onto the ground and Shini lets go immediately. I think he over-exerted his jaws or something. Petting the little creature on his head, I leave Howie's bedroom to look for him. The television's on, so he's probably lying on the sofa and watching some strange programs. Howie's got the weirdest taste sometimes.

"Howie!"

"Yeah, Duo?" Howie replies, turning his head.

I hold up his slippers. "Congratulations. Your slippers are the latest victims of the little terror known as Shinigami."

"Not again… Why is it that he likes my slippers so much? It's the third pair this month!"

"Who knows what goes through a doggy mind?" I shrug, and throw the pair of slippers into the dustbin nearby. "Anyway, have you seen Solo?"

"Solo? He called earlier to say that he's getting some take-out for our dinner tonight. He should be back soon."

"Take-out again? Why is Solo always buying take-outs when it's his turn to prepare dinner lately?"

"You complained about his atrocious culinary skills, remember? Besides, I think he's got a big project to do in school," Howie answered, lowering the volume of the television. "I think you should get a boy or girlfriend who can cook for you. That way, you'll always have something to eat and that will keep your mouth busy."

"Very funny."

"The next time you go on a date with that Heero guy, ask him if he can cook. If he can, make him your official boyfriend. And remember to bring him over to cook for us sometimes too."

I snort. "Howie, he's not my boyfriend, official or not. And no, I won't bring him over and subject him to the ruthless grilling by Solo."

"Grilling? You think Heero's some chicken wing? And well, I can take care of Solo."

"Yeah right. You say that every time, and Solo's managed to scare off nearly all my dates."

"It's not my fault. Some of your dates are just plain timid," -he shrugs- "Anyway, when are you bringing Heero home to see me? He's gotta get my stamp of approval if he wants to date you, you know?"

Sigh… I think Marie and Howie ganged up to do this.

* * *

(Heero POV)

I pick up the phone from its cradle and punch in Duo's numbers. Heh… I'm still a little worried of Duo's brother picking up the phone. Still, that can't deter me from calling.

Ring… ring… ring…

I hear the distinct sound of the phone being picked up, but instead of hearing a 'hello' next, I hear some scurrying and voices fighting for the phone. After a little while, and Duo's voice shouting at a 'jerk', Duo answers the phone.

"Hello?"

"Duo?"

"Oh, hi Heero!"

"Hi. Err… you remember the photos we took the other day? I just erm, collected it this afternoon. I thought you'd want to see it."

"Of course! So… you're gonna pass it to me?"

"I was thinking that we could meet somewhere for some coffee or something… Are you free tomorrow? We could meet at Sally's." Please say yes! Please, Duo, say you're free tomorrow and that you'll love to have coffee with me!

"Why not? I'm free tomorrow, and I'd love to have coffee with you. So Sally's place?"

Thank you, Duo. Thank you. "Yeah. Shall we meet at 1pm tomorrow?"

"Sure! And remember to bring the photos. I've been thinking about them these last couple of days!"

"Okay. I'll remember them. Err… so, how have you been lately, Duo?" Tell me you've missed me! Okay, maybe that's too farfetched because we aren't that close yet, but at least tell me that you've thought about me once or twice!

"Well, it was pretty okay. Nothing really happened. Just normal days, you know? Anyway, you know something? I'd just been thinking about you a little while ago, and then you called! What a coincidence!" He laughs.

No, Duo. It's fate. "Really? I'd been thinking of you too; that's partially why I called, other than for the photos." Actually, the photos are just an excuse; you're why I'm calling.

"Hmm… Oh, sorry Heero. My uncle needs to use the telephone. I gotta go. Well, see you tomorrow!"

So soon? I was hoping we could talk for at least a little longer. "I understand. See you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye!"

I hang up the phone, and flop down onto my bed with a grin on my face. I can just feel it; the grin's nearly splitting my face apart. Rolling onto my side, I pick up my calendar and mark tomorrow for another nice date with Duo.

Vaguely, I wonder when will I actually pluck up enough courage to ask him to be my boyfriend. Maybe when I fill up a whole list of that confession thingy Quatre made me write? Or when I come up with the perfect cuisine to cook for him? …Nah, remember Heero Yuy! Things will happen by itself if it's meant to be!

I just hope that that day will come soon.

-tbc-

(1): I modeled Heero's tutor according to my teacher in school. She's pretty much like that. Damn irritating.

(2): Yes, I made Heero, Quatre, Trowa and Solo all business students.

(3): Doesn't this just sound like some tongue twister?

Last revised 29th June 2005


	17. The Photos We Took

Title: The Photos We Took

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, mentioned 5+H

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I tried to lure Duo over to my place with a trail of food, but Heero lured him away with some strawberries and whipped cream. Currently, I'm trying to lose the weight I got from eating all the food Duo didn't eat, so I don't have the time to come up with another plot to get the GW boys. Therefore, I do not own the GW boys or the anime. I own this little ficcy though.

Thanx to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

"Hello, Heero. What do you want today? Black coffee with milk and a little sugar, and two slices of toasted bread?" Sally asks, not even me offering the menu anymore. She knows me too well.

"Well, I…"

"Oh, I know! You want a serving of Duo with some cream and cherries, don't you? A couple of strawberries too, maybe?" she teases.

"Sally!" I must have turned a very interesting shade of red, because she just laughs harder.

"Well, I'll see what I can do about it," she singsongs, and leaves for the kitchen.

"Sally!"

"Relax, Heero. She says that to everyone Duo has met here."

I look up at the voice. "Wufei?"

He nods, and slides into the seat opposite of mine. 'That's Duo's seat', I want to tell him. But then again, I arrived early again. So Duo shouldn't be anywhere near here for at least another fifteen minutes.

"I think Duo tried to hook Sally up with someone, so now Sally embarrasses him by saying that to everyone Duo has met here."

"Oh."

"Hey, I was just about to leave when you came here. Don't think I'm stalking you or anything." Wufei crosses his arms, looking indignant. It seems that he's embarrassed, even. But for what? "Anyway… I apologize for ruining your date with Duo the other day."

"What?" Oh clever, Heero Yuy. Just clever. After that bad experience and the insane urge to throttle Wufei, is that the best you can come up with?

"I said I'm sorry for ruining your date with Duo that day! I just… didn't notice that you were on a date with Duo. And I hadn't seen him for quite a while until that day. So I just got a little carried away. Sorry."

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you erm, know that Duo and I were… on a date?"

"Hirde. She got mad at me and generally made a big fuss out of it."

"She did, huh?" I ask, feeling pretty mortified. It seems that, somehow, everyone knows that I'm wooing Duo. And everyone, almost, is eager to see me succeed.

"Yes. Well… Actually, you don't look like the type Duo would date. I always thought his boy or girlfriend would be a lot more of the outgoing, sporty and loud kind. But…"

"Wufei, do you know if Duo has had any significant others before?" Please say no… Actually, it doesn't matter. I just hope that I'll be Duo's last significant other. I'll chase the others away from him.

Wufei scrunches his brows in concentration. After a while, he mutters, "None that I know of, actually. I don't recall hearing him talk to me about his significant other. But I don't know Duo that well, really. And hey, if you really want to know, you should ask him."

I'm about to mouth off at him and ask him how am I supposed to ask Duo that type of question when someone interrupts our conversation.

"Ask me what?"

"Hi, Duo." Wufei gives him a little wave of his hand, and stands up. "I was suggesting to Heero that he ask you what you did to Sally."

"Oh my god. Don't tell me Sally asked him that!" Duo slaps his forehead.

"Sorry, but she did," Wufei replies deadpanned, only a little tug at his lips betraying the fact that he's amused. "Anyway, I have to go. Enjoy your time together," he says, sparing me with a little knowing smirk as he leaves.

Duo takes the seat Wufei has just vacated, and looks at me straight in the eye. "Did Sally really ask you…? Never mind, I don't think I want to know."

He's blushing a little, the redness creeping up his cheeks slowly, accentuating his looks. The blush would make any other guy look feminine, but on Duo, it just adds a dash of loveliness. But however beautiful he may look, I know no one likes to be embarrassed. So I reach into my backpack, pull out a small photo album and push it over to Duo, trying to change the subject.

"These are the photos we took the other day. They aren't that well taken, but you look wonderful… in them." I'm completely honest when I say that. Duo looks great in or out of a photo. And I'm sure that's not just my heart saying that.

"Hey, I look a little strange here," Duo chuckles, finger pointing at a particular picture. "Heero, it's difficult to talk to you about the photos like this. Come sit beside me." He pulls a chair beside him, and pats it invitingly.

Well, that's an invitation no sane man would turn down, least of all me. I suppress that goofy grin that's threatening to surface, and glide over to his side. The biggest problem I have, though, is my arm. If I put it on the table, there isn't really enough space for both of us. If I put it on my laps, it doesn't feel comfortable. And although I want to wrap my arm around Duo's shoulder, I think that will scare him. Either that or going by cosmic rules plus a pinch of Murphy's Law, Duo's brother will come strolling by and see that. Before I am sure I can actually outrun him, I don't really want to push my luck. So carefully, I put my arm the back of Duo's chair. If he just leans back, I'll be able to touch him.

"See this one?" he asks, pointing to a picture. "Man, I just look strange."

I smile as I look at the photo. When we were taking this one, Duo had been all ready for the camera, smiling nicely. Then suddenly, this small squirrel lost his footing on the branch he was perched on, and fell onto Duo's head. The camera went off at that exact moment, and I got a picture of Duo trying to sweep the thing off of him and the squirrel hanging on for his dear life. I was laughing loudly as I tried to extract the little creature from the mass of chestnut hair, all while I was under Duo's mock glare. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the squirrel immediately scampered back up the tree, leaving Duo and me to laugh like we've never before. I almost shudder in delight when I recall Duo's body in my arms. He had laughed so hard he couldn't stand straight, and stumbled right into me. It was a moment before he could stop laughing, and I think I have never felt so warm before.

"No, Duo. I think you just look strangely cute."

"I do?" He sniggers, and turns the page. "Oh, I remember this one."

I remember it too. We had been walking around the park, looking for a nice spot for another photo when we stumbled upon this pond with a little signboard, stating that there was some Japanese koi swimming inside. I thought the place looked wonderful, so I told Duo, 'Sit next to the pond, koi!' He just /looked/ at me, and burst out laughing. That's when I noticed that I had said something wrong, and I tried again, 'I mean, sit next to the koi pond!' He nodded, still biting his lips in an attempt to stifle his chuckles, and sat down. When he looked up at me again, for the photo, I just froze. His eyes… looked like they had been sprinkled with stardust.

Something came to me then. _Your eyes are like a net. I can struggle, and struggle, but you'll always catch me._ I filed that away mentally to be added to my confession list for Duo, and I suddenly got a mental image: Heero the guppy scooped up by some kid with a small fishnet. Or Heero the Japanese koi. Sounds stupid, but I did.

"You look lov… wonderful in this picture, Duo."

"You don't look half bad, Heero," he teases, pointing at the photo we took together.

I remember how awkward I had felt then, completely unsure of how I should beside Duo. In the end, we settled for just standing close.

Sally comes over to us again, plopping two black coffees and some toasted bread onto our table. "Sorry Heero. I ran out of cherries and cream. Well, maybe you'll enjoy it plain?"

"Sally!" Both Duo and I yell, but she just laughs it off and saunters back to the counter to get the bill for another customer.

"Duo… what did you do to Sally?"

A look of discomfort overcomes him, and he laughs nervously. "Nothing really. I just… I just tried introducing someone to her. Apparently, Sally took it as an insult. So…"

"Are you sure that's all?"

"Fine… The guy I introduced was already in a long term relation!" he utters, stringing his words together in embarrassment. "But I honestly didn't know! But you know what the really bad thing about it is? I brought the guy over here last year, on the 1st of April."

"So Sally took it to be an April fool's joke?" I ask, finding it very amusing. But really, if I were Sally, I'd feel indignant too.

Duo nods, sipping at his coffee. "Argh! It's bitter!"

"Oh my… I must have forgotten about it," Sally comments nonchalantly when she swings by. She's feigning innocence; I just know it. "There isn't enough sugar to go around too. Oh well, I guess you'll just have to share Heero's coffee." Sally leers at me, picks up Duo's coffee and sashays away.

For a moment, Duo and I just stare at each other. Finally, I push the cup towards him. "You can have it."

"No! It's yours; you should have it."

"I'm okay. I'm not all that thirsty, actually."

"Okay, okay. Why don't we do this? We can drink half a cup each. You go first."

"No… you can have it first. I'll just eat the toast in the meantime."

Duo looks at me, and smiles. "Okay! Deal," he says, and picks up the cup for a sip. "Hey, it's pretty sweet. Just the way I like it. Sally must have done this one purpose. Making us share one cup of coffee… che! I wonder why…"

I blush. Maybe Sally knows that I'm wooing Duo too. Geez. It seems that the whole wide world knows about it. But Duo… does he know? Or maybe he's already guessed it? Doesn't matter, really. If he does know, he hasn't avoided me or anything, so that's good. If he doesn't know, then I'll just have to persevere. Like I said, it doesn't matter. But damn… what would I give to know what he thinks about it.

I reach for a piece of toast and munch on it as I continue to muse, but Duo catches my attention again with his comments on our photos. For a while, we just talk about it as we eat and drink. I like it: the way Duo looks at the photos with a sense of humour and giving witty comments every once in a while. And the way warmth fills my heart. I peer at him from time to time, my heart pounding a little harder every minute. Duo's definitely photogenic, but something as still as a photo can't capture his entire radiance. Ahh… I'm getting sappy again. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

"Hey, Heero. I've finished my share of the coffee. You can have it."

Duo's words break me out of my reverie, and I reach out for the cup. Only when the black liquid is trickling down my throat do I realize what I'm actually doing. Duo had drunk from this cup; now, I'm drinking from this cup. In a way, isn't that like… indirect kissing? I almost choke upon that realization. My inner self does a victory dance as I try to compose myself and finish the drink. Duo's right: the coffee's pretty sweet. But I suspect that part of the sweetness does not come from the sugar in the coffee.

When I finish it, I place the cup back on the table. When I lean back into my chair, I peer over at Duo again. And I immediately blush, because my arm, which I had settled on the back of Duo's seat previously, is wrapped around Duo's shoulders. Quickly, I look at Duo's features. He doesn't seem to have notice my arm on him, just like I didn't. Biting my bottom lip, I decide to risk it and leave my arm there. Still, I have to resist the urge to pull Duo close.

* * *

We leave Sally's an hour later, having finished with our food and the photos.

"I love these photos. Can you give me a copy soon?" Duo asks, still holding the photo album in his hands.

"Well, you can have those. I've already duplicated them." I more than duplicated them. In fact, I have one of Duo's pictures inside my wallet. Not the 'brown spot' one, as christened by Catherine. This time, it's a real photo where I can clearly see Duo's face. My own face too, actually. The one in my wallet is the picture we took together, the one where we're standing really close. I almost wanted to digitally add my arm around Duo's waist, but then I decided that when I have a picture like that, I want a real one.

Duo nods, and slots the photo album into his backpack. "So, where're you going now? Home?"

"No. I'm going to a supermarket; my kitchen ran out of sugar."

"Hmm… so your kitchen just did a Sally on you, huh?" He laughs. Gee, with Duo saying that, I think I will never look at 'running out of sugar' in the same way ever. "C'mon, I'll go with you. I'm free anyway."

I nod furiously. "Ok!" Sorry if I sound desperate, but hey, I really /want/ to spend more time with Duo.

So we stroll slowly to the nearest supermarket, talking about nearly everything. Somewhere along the conversation, the question that had been plaguing me came up. I just blurt, asking him if he had a significant other before. Fine, so I was lying when I said it didn't bother me. Anyway, Duo pouts in a boyish sort of way (I think he and Quatre are the only ones who can pull that off) and tell me no, because his dates were all scared away by his brother. His brother… sometimes I really wonder if Solo is his brother. I mean, they look a little alike, and their names… But then again, it could be sheer coincidence. They don't look all that alike anyway.

Pretty soon, we reach the supermarket, with us holding hands. Hey, I'm not pressing for progress here, but it just happened that we came across a road on our way here. So I casually asked him to lead me across, like he had almost a week ago, and he took my hand laughingly. Sigh, I just love Duo's vacation job.

We get a huge packet of sugar, and I plop it into the basket Duo had insisted we take. "Okay, so I've gotten my sugar. Erm, do you need anything else?"

"Of course! You don't come to a supermarket and not visit the tidbits section!" Duo says, and drags me over to the shelves loaded with potato chips, chocolate and a whole lot of other junk food.

As we walk down the aisle, Duo fills our basket with a couple of chocolate bars and some bags of snacks. He doesn't even need to think; he sees what he wants, pulls it off the shelf, and plunks it into our basket. I think he does this quite often.

"Duo… are you sure you want so much of these… snacks? It's unhealthy."

He gives me a melodramatic sigh, and pats me on my shoulder. "Heero, you have to enjoy life by eating things you like! Regardless of whether said food is healthy or not! It's just a matter of moderation. Don't eat too much, and it'll be fine. Oh, so does that mean that you seldom eat junk food?

"Yeah, I guess so."

"When is the last time you ate a chocolate bar?"

"…A year ago?"

He stares at me wide-eyed.

"God! Are you kidding me? C'mon! Let's go pay up for all these stuff, and I'll teach you to enjoy chocolate!"

So we go over to queue up at the counters, and within minutes, reach the front of the line. I insist on paying, although I'm only buying one packet of sugar. Duo lets me, only because he lost our rock-paper-scissors game. But he promises to pay me back some other time by giving me a treat.

When we're out of the supermarket, Duo quickly tears off the wrapping of a chocolate bar.

"C'mon Heero! Open your mouth! Aaaa…."

I'm embarrassed as hell to let him do this in public, but well… Duo's just plain cute. Nothing less. So I open my mouth wide, and bite off a chuck of the chocolate.

"How does it taste like? Good?"

I nod. Then, my eyes fall on the chocolate wrapper. The big, red letters spelling 'Mars' stares back at me. I almost choke.

"C'mon, again!" Duo barks out the order in a motherly fashion, his lips curling up in a grin. "Take another bite!"

I concede, and bite off another chuck. Somehow, the fact that I'm eating a Mars bar sounds strange to my own ears. Maybe it's because I've long equated Mars and Duo. So… in a strange, perverse even way, I'm eating Duo? …Bad Heero! Bad! Bad! Bad!

"Like it? Mars chocolate is a little sweet, even for me, so I'm sure if you'd like it all that much…"

Sweet? Oh definitely, Duo. You're so sweet.

"And the filling's a little tangy…"

Filling? Tangy? Heero, don't even let your mind wander off /that/ way. Stop this train of thought! Stop it! …Damn, I think it just overshot the station. Oops.

* * *

I flip open my photo album gleefully, and smile when I see pictures of Duo staring back at me. It's true that these still-life photos can't capture Duo's true sparkle, but these are all I have for the next few days. I won't be seeing him until next weekend, since we're both caught up in our work. I have that big project Mrs. Smith wants us to work on too. I'm disappointed, and I think he is too. At least, that's what I conclude from his body language before parting ways this afternoon.

Anyway, back to the photos. I bought a photo album especially for this. The type where you can arrange the photos any way you like, and just press the plastic cover over to make sure it stays in place. I like it a lot, because it allows me to put all sorts of things inside, apart from the photos. Call me a sap or a romantic, whatever you like, but I slid in some pretty nice things. Like this leaf. I got it from the park where Duo and I took the photos. It's from the tree where the squirrel fell off from, so I pressed the leaf next to that photo. And next to the koi pond picture is a strip of clean paper where I wrote the confession line I had came up with when we were taking that photo. I still have the ticket stud for the movie we caught together too, and it's somewhere with the photos.

The photo album is still pretty empty, but I'm sure I'll be able to fill it up sometime soon. I'll just have to ask Duo for some more photo-taking sessions.

"Hey Heero!" My door opens, and Hirde pokes her head in. "Can I borrow your calculator? I left mine with my friend."

"Sure. It's on my table."

Hirde smiles, and creeps into my room. Somehow, recently, she's been having the idea that it's cool to creep around. She must have gotten it from some detective movie or king of thieves' television program. Maybe I should monitor what she watches on television; she's getting addicted.

"Wow… Heero, where did you get so many photos of… Hey, who is it?" she asks, pointing at all the photo frames adorning my desktop. "Wow… you've even got photos of this guy on your wall. Hell, your room is practically a shrine for him…"

"It's Duo," I reply without thinking.

"Should have known," -she smirks- "You're really smitten with him. Putting so many of his photos… When are you gonna bring him home to see me?"

"I've put up his photos all around. Of course I'm smitten with him. You put up Wufei's photos in your room too, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I've only got like, three photo frames? On my table? You've got at least a dozen, on your table /and/ on your walls," Hirde notes, still a little surprised, I think. "Don't you feel it's weird?"

"What's weird?"

"It feels like he's looking at you all the time. Even when you're changing your clothes."

…Oh no. That didn't occur to me when I put them all up.

-tbc-

Last revised 30th June 2005


	18. At Her Prodding

Title: At Her Prodding

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 2+1, friendship Sylvia+2, Mariemaia+OC

Warnings: Duo POV, itsy bitsy angst, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I just got out of hiding from Heero because I told him I own Duo. Since I'm in no condition to play hide-and-seek with Heero again, I'll admit that I do not own Duo or any of the other GW gang. However, I do own this fic. And nothing else. So I don't own any of the movies or restaurants or brand names mentioned here.

Thanx to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

I put down my pen, and tap Sylvia's shoulders.

"Hey, Sylvia. I think something's wrong with this section. Can you take a look at it?" I say, pushing the report over to her.

She takes it, glances for a while and scribbles something on it with her pencil. "See this part? You multiplied the numbers instead of adding them. Just redo this part, and it'll be okay."

I take the paper back. "You're right! I can't believe how I didn't notice it. Thanks."

She offers me a little smile, and goes right back to her work. I sigh; Sylvia has been a little distant lately. At first, I thought it was just some girl thing, and that it would pass pretty quickly. Just a phase, I thought. Phase my head. It has been days, and she still hasn't recovered from the little depression.

I sneak a quick look at Marie; she's completely oblivious.

Sigh. This group report is getting boring. Not that it wasn't before. Damn our English teacher for wanting a report on the suicide rates in our city with all statistics possible. And it's getting worse with Sylvia so distant and Marie so oblivious. Fortunately, we're finishing the report. I suppose we'll be able to wrap it all up in a maximum of fifteen minutes.

Ta-dah. I'm right. We finish the thing within minutes; after all, all that was left was editing. And Marie, ever the good girlfriend, shoots off for a date.

"Sorry guys, but I'm running late for my date! Duo, be a nice guy and send Sylvia home, will you?" She waves us goodbye, and runs off to catch a bus.

I wave her goodbye too, sighing inwardly. Marie's always like that. I think she sees a boyfriend to be more important than her friends. Gee. And here I thought I could ask her to talk to Sylvia and ask her what's wrong with her. I think I'm too naïve when it comes to girls.

"Hey Sylvia, so… are you going home? I'll send you back."

"Yeah, I guess so," she replies, straightening the sheets of paper and slotting them into her bag. "Erm, I'll take these back and make the necessary changes in the computer file and hand it in tomorrow."

I nod. Honestly, had we done this at one of our houses, we'd have finished it ages ago. I think. After all, we'd have a computer that way and we'd be able to edit it right away. But no! Marie wanted to do it here, at this MacDonald's because it's closer to where she'll be meeting her boyfriend. But well, at least I'll have a chance to talk to Sylvia while I walk her home.

"Okay, I'm done. Let's go, Duo."

"Okay," I reply, and sling my own backpack onto my shoulders.

For a while, we just walk. I'm pretty unsure of what to say. I mean, girls are kinda sensitive, especially when they're depressed. I /think/ I read that somewhere… Maybe in one of those girl magazines Marie had thrown at me earlier. She likes to do that to me; throw me a bunch of girl stuff and expect me to understand how a girl's mind functions. She should just give up. A guy can never understand the internal logic of a girl.

Sylvia lives in this really posh apartment block in this high-class neighbourhood inside the central business district. Somewhere I will never be able to afford. But Sylvia's different. She comes from a rich family who has well enough money to buy up /my/ apartment plus my neighbour's apartment plus my neighbour's neighbour's apartment… Well, you know. She's that rich.

So her neighbourhood's pretty quiet, although it's at the edge of the CBD. Which is exactly why Marie had 'asked' (it's just another word for 'order' in her mind) me to walk her home.

Anyway, we see her apartment block around the corner fairly quickly, before I've gathered my thoughts enough to form a coherent and tactful sentence. So I decide to just forge forward and ask.

"Erm, Sylvia?"

"Yes, Duo?"

"It's just… are you okay? I mean…" It's irritating, you know? When you think you've formed a nice little sentence that would get your thoughts across, and it just disappears when you've opened your mouth? And I think that's been happening to me quite frequently as of late. "…you seem a little reserved recently."

I must have said something wrong, because she stops and turns to gaze at me with these doe eyes. Girls. They're so difficult to understand.

"Sorry," I hold up my hands in an obvious attempt to halt this line of conversation. "Maybe you'd want to talk to Marie. It's one of those girls stuff, isn't it? Gosh… this is so awkward…"

"No, no…" She looks down at her feet, and takes a deep breath, as if steeling herself to say something. When she looks back up, I notice a trace of a blush on her cheeks. "It's just… Duo, about that Heero guy you've been seeing lately…"

Oh no… not Sylvia too. Did Marie and Howie talk her into this? What is wrong with all of them? Are all of them so eager to see me get laid or what? Maybe I should say something to Solo, and he'll probably scare them all off. Then again, I can say bye bye to Heero too. He's a nice friend; I wouldn't want to lose him that way.

"Do you like him?"

I blink. Now, that's a question no one's ever asked me. Both Howie and Marie are adamant that I'm totally head-over-heels in /love/ with Heero that they've never confirmed it with me.

"Of course I like him. Why else would I be hanging out with him so much lately?"

"No. I don't mean just… like him. I mean, do you like him… /that/ way?"

"Which way?"

"You know/that/way!"

"I don't get it…"

She sighs, rolling her eyes. "Duo, I mean /that/ way. Like-him-so-much-you-want-to-be-his-boyfriend way."

"Oh, that way." I'd admit that that wasn't the smartest thing to say. But honestly, those three words are the only thing that comes to mind at Sylvia's definition of 'that way'. Sorry, but my brain cells aren't cooperating with me at this moment. I mean, c'mon! My good friend who's supposed to be the intelligent the logical one has just asked me one of the strangest questions. What am I supposed to think?

"So, do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Duo!"

"Okay, okay… Well, no," I answer it as though it were a given. I've known Heero for what… 3 weeks? Love doesn't come so quickly. And so suddenly?

"Duo, time is not an excuse. Surely you've heard of the saying 'love at first sight'?"

Gee… I must have said that aloud.

"Sylvia, we have to be realistic. No matter what the television and magazines say, love at first sight is only something the hopeless romantics came up with! It doesn't happen in real life!"

"How would you know? Maybe it has already happened to you."

I sigh, loudly. Just how bad can this thing get? While I have never had a significant other before, I'm pretty sure I know how I feel! So why are all these people trying to get me to admit to feeling something I don't?

"Why do all of you insist I'm in love with Heero? I'm not!"

"Duo, I'm not insisting that. It's just that… I /feel/ that you're in love."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"You've been happier lately, ever since the day Marie said she spotted you having dinner with him."

"Sylvia, being happy does not mean I'm in love. I've been happy lately, because I aced the last math test. Because I won 30 bucks from Mueller for a soccer match. Because I…"

"I don't mean that kind of happy. I… I don't know how to say it, how to describe it to you. But I'm sure you've felt it. Because I feel it… from you." Her voice drops to a whisper, as though this is a secret she never meant to say. "Duo, you… maybe you don't realize it, but whenever you talk about him, you blush… and… your eyes… they sparkle."

"Sparkle?" I parrot in disbelief. How can that be? Heero's just my friend. A friend I knew for barely 3 weeks.

"And sometimes… you'd have this little smile… Like you're smiling at something only you know about. I'm worried, Duo," she adds, biting her lips and looking contritely at me. "I… I know you like him. I know that much. I can feel it. You've been spending so much time with him…"

Ah, so that's what Sylvia's discomfort about this issue is. Like I said earlier, she comes from a very rich family. The upside to that is that she has loads and loads of money at her disposal. She doesn't like to buy stuff, so she usually saves up her allowance or treat Marie and me to lunch. The downside? Her parents are always flying around the globe for their jobs, and Sylvia has been moving around with them for the most part of her childhood. That probably made it difficult for her to make friends, so she's always been pretty lonely. When she finally convinced her parents that she was old enough to live alone so she could stay put at one place and not fly around, she was already 17. From what I know, Sylvia hasn't met her parents much for the past year. Sometimes, she's called over, crying because she couldn't even get her parents on the phone.

"Sylvia, listen to me. I won't neglect you just because I've made a new friend. Or even when I find a significant other. You're my friend, and I'll /always/always/ remember you. I promise I won't neglect you."

Bingo. I've just hit the bull's eye.

"I know, Duo. It's just that… I'm worried. Marie… she's been so caught up with her new boyfriend. If it happens to you too, I… I don't know who'll talk to me."

I smile, and tug at her cheeks gently. "Silly girl. I'm always there for you, regardless of whether I've got a boyfriend or not."

She smiles back. "I'm sorry… I should have known that."

"Well, now you do, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, c'mon! We've been standing under the sun talking about this for what… ten minutes? Let's get you back to your apartment soon, or Marie might think I kidnapped you or something," I tease, hoping to ease the tension. Sylvia's the kind of person who has to be coaxed into relaxing, or she'll worry herself to death. I may have known her for only a little over a year, but it's long enough for me to know this. It's so obvious.

"Sorry! Come up to my apartment, and I'll let you raid my fridge as compensation."

"Your fridge? The one with tomato juice and nothing else? Thanks, but no thanks."

She knocks me playfully. "I've stocked it up already!"

"Heh, we'll see about that," I reply, and continue to walk her back to her apartment. We've been standing there for so long I'm perspiring all over. But even with that issue all cleared up, I've still got a little question for her.

"Sylvia, is that the only reason why you said I like Heero?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, are your observations… of me being happier and my eyes sparkling when I talk about him… are those for real?"

She nods solemnly. "I wouldn't lie to you about that. Tell me, Duo. What do you think about Heero?"

"I think… he's a very nice person. He's been very polite and considerate towards me all this time I've known him. I'd known that he was interested in me back when we first met, because he was sorta hitting on me, although it's obvious he's never done it before. The way he went about doing it… it's different from how others do it. I mean, I've encountered some really flirtatious people before, and they… sort of just throw themselves all over me to get to know me. And hell, half of them don't bother to find out my name! They just keep calling me 'sugar' or 'honey'; it gives me goose bumps. But Heero…"

"What about him?"

"When he came up to talk to me for the first time, he was rather shy about it. And he asked me politely for my name; just my name, and not whether I want to kiss him or what. He kept his hands to himself too. But one of the things I admire most about him is that he's not afraid of my brother!"

We both laugh. Sylvia had been subjected to Solo's angry threats (something he calls 'filtering') when she called over for the first time, and got so afraid she didn't call back again for at least another month. Or was that two months? After Marie had assured her that it happens to everyone who calls me, and after she shared her own experience, we begun to count the number of people Solo has scared off. Later, it came to us that it was too tedious, so we begun to count the number of people who has called me more than twice. The success rate so far has not been encouraging.

"Well, he's a hero, isn't he?"

"Hero? I'm not that sure. But he's definitely a gentleman."

Sylvia looks at me curiously. "How so?"

"It's his behaviour. And the little things he does. For me. Like when we went to watch that 'Johnny English' movie, he'd already gotten the snacks and drinks all ready for me when I arrived. If it weren't because we hadn't decided on a movie yet, he'd have gotten the tickets too. And whenever he calls me to ask for a time to hang out together, he'd ask so nicely. He has not once been late for our appointments; and he's paid for everything every time we go out!"

"And the little things?"

"Well, he's just… nice to me," I answer, feeling extremely gauche. It's strange, to talk to your friend about this kinda stuff. Especially when said friend is fairly emotionally fragile. Besides, I hadn't even admitted all these things to myself, much less to anybody. But somehow, I can't seem to stop. "/Very/ nice to me."

We'd already reached the bottom of Sylvia's apartment by this time, and I pressed the elevator button for her. Within seconds, the thing rings, and the elevator door slide open. She steps in, and sighs at me with a little smile.

"Duo, I'll go up on my own. Thanks so much."

"You're welcomed, Sylvia."

"Anyway, Duo. I think you should really consider it. Think about what can happen between you and Heero. I know you may not believe in 'love at first sight', but I think fate works in really wonderful ways. Maybe it's love at second sight. Or even third. I'll see you tomorrow at school. Bye."

"Bye."

The doors slide shut, and I turn around to leave the area. After all, it's time to get my ass home or Solo'll be worried about me. He always does that.

* * *

By the time I'd gotten to my door, my mind had taken a round trip of the sun. Still, I'm confused! What exactly do I feel about Heero? I know I like him… a lot. He's someone I consider to be a good friend, and someone who has the potential to become a very good friend.

But to consider him as a potential boyfriend?

Maybe Sylvia's right to say that time isn't really a factor. But still, I'm not convinced. Love has to be built on a solid foundation and that can't be forged overnight. If the foundation is not strong enough, the relationship will topple over when the first signs of difficulties appear. So what is this happiness swelling in my heart every time I see him? Every time I hear him? Every time I think about him?

So maybe it /is/ love at first sight. Or maybe it was friendship at first sight. The feelings… came a bit later, after I knew him a little better.

I know for a fact that Heero's very good to me. But am I good to him too? It takes two to tango, two to be in a relationship. If I continue to lead him on and not doing my share to build this relationship, it'll be so unfair to him. Do I want to do this? Am I ready for it?

But the way he treats me… it just makes me wanna waltz with him forever. Endlessly.

Sigh. I seriously need to think about this.

Warily, I enter the house. With a mind so jumbled, letting Howie hound me about Heero is the last thing I need. I peer around; coast's clear. I think Howie's out, fortunately. Just as I'm going to go into my room and flop onto my bed to get a little rest, someone calls me.

"Duo!"

Crap… Seeing Solo isn't exactly a good thing either. I turn around and offer him a grin which I hope doesn't look forced. "Oh, hi Solo!"

He nods, and throws me a can of icy cold coca-cola. Heh, he knows me well. "Thanks. I was getting a little thirsty."

"Sure, no problem." Solo shrugs, and gulps down his own beverage. "Duo, are you okay? You look tired."

"Me? Tired? Maybe… I'll just go rest up a bit."

"Yeah, I think you should. Howie's cooking tonight. It wouldn't be nice if you fall head first into his stew. You'd suffocate."

"Suffocate? I'm more worried about getting food poisoning," I reply, and we both snigger. Howie is not the best of cooks, and we used to spend endless hours just joking about that. Admittedly, Howie's culinary skills have improved over the years, but they're still pretty bad. The food's edible, but that doesn't mean our taste buds enjoy it.

"Anyway, about that guy who's been calling you up lately…"

"What about him?"

"Tell me his name and address so I can go pay him a visit and have a nice little chat with him." Solo's tone is nonchalant, and if he were a girl, sweet. However, anyone can hear that underlying tone.

"Solo!" I sigh, exasperatedly. "He's my friend! He's not gonna drag me to some dark alley so he can rob me because I have less than fifty bucks in my wallet at all times. He's not gonna kidnap me because we can't afford the ransom anyway. And least of all, he's not gonna kill me!"

He sighs audibly, and sets his can of coca-cola on the table. "Duo, I'm not trying to prevent you from making friends. I'm just worried about you! I don't to see you get hurt! I promised our parents that I'd always keep you safe, and I intend to keep that promise."

I hate it when he brings up our parents, because that just puts me through a huge guilt trip. I know I grumble about Solo invading my privacy by picking up my calls and threatening the callers, but he's just worried about me. After our parents died, I'm like… his closest relative alive. Sure, Howie's our uncle, but still… I'm his only directly related family left now. And while dad died almost immediately after the car accident, mum stayed alive long enough to make Solo promise her that he'd take care of me. That he'd take care of me in every possible way.

But I bet mum didn't think Solo would actually filter my friends to see which ones were suitable to be my friend. Or my significant other.

"I know, Solo. Look, that guy… he's just a friend. Nothing more. I'm old enough to handle a friend. You don't have to worry about it," I chirp, walking to my room all the while. "So, I'm gonna take a nap now. Wake me up for dinner, okay?"

"Fine. Remember, Duo. Don't let that guy take advantage of you! If he does, tell me and I'll take care of him real fast."

Sigh. Elder brothers…

I close the door, and throw my backpack onto the floor. With a jump, I throw myself onto my covers, laughing a little at the comfort my bed offers. Actually, Solo's right about me being tired. I should take a nap. So I close my eyes, and make myself comfortable on my bed. No, not good. I flip over to the other side. Still no good. I flip again.

Finally, I sit up. I can't get to sleep. Not before I actually deal with this. With my feelings. I groan, feeling a headache coming already. I scan my room, hoping to find something that would be able to help me sleep. My eyes fall on the telephone.

On impulse, I grab the phone off its cradle and punch in Heero's number. As the phone rings, I start to wonder what I'm doing. Why am I doing it? Calling Heero? For what? Just what was I thinking when I picked up the phone to call him? And what am I going to say to him?

I falter. Hesitantly, I take the phone away from my ears. I should just hang up. I don't know what I'm doing.

However, someone speaks into the phone, and I immediately reply. I blame it on my reflexes.

"Hello? Yuy residence."

"…" What should I do? What should I say? "Erm…"

"Duo?"

I don't know about you, but damn if I'm not impressed. He can recognize my voice from a sound I make? Or did he recognize me from something else? Or maybe it's just his intuition. No matter what, he's good.

"Hi, Heero."

"Hello Duo. Is anything the matter?"

I don't know if I'm imagining it, but his voice sounds… hopeful? Happy? Gleeful? Pleased? Thrilled? Well, I'm almost out of synonyms, but you get my drift. I wonder if my voice sounds that way to him too.

"I just called… erm, to…" To what? Oh my god… I am so at a loss for words. If I tell him… hell! I don't even /have/ an inkling of an idea what to say to him! Crap, there's not even a connection between my mouth and my brain now! I'm liable to shooting my mouth off in this state!

"To thank you for the photos! …I think they're really very well taken!" Woah, that's one good shot.

"…Really?"

"Really! Of course!" Thank god he bought that, although I really like those photos. The lighting looks pretty good. At least I don't look like I'm giving off light like in that photo Marie took the last time we went for a class excursion.

"Well, I'm still learning the art of photography, and I'm glad that you decided to be my model that day… The photos… they wouldn't look half as good if you weren't in them."

I'm so flattered. That's such a roundabout way of telling me that I look good, but the meaning isn't any less. In fact, I prefer this kinda praise for my looks, rather than listening to some flirty cheerleader swoon about how gorgeous I am. Why? Because I can feel the truth behind Heero's words. But… gosh, this is getting sappy.

"Thanks," I reply, and grow silent again. For a moment, the line went mute. C'mon, Heero! Say something! Say anything!

"…Duo?"

Thank goodness he's talking. "Yes?"

"Can I see you again soon? I mean… I know we're meeting the coming Sunday. But can we meet some time before that?"

"Why? You can't make it on Sunday?"

"No! I can! I can! I just…"

"Oh, I get it." Does Heero like being around me too? As much as I like begin around him? Is that why he wants to see me again? Before Sunday? "Erm… I'm not sure…"

"Oh…"

He's doing it again. He's sounding like he's a kid deprived of his Christmas present again. Every time I'm about to say 'no' to his suggestions, he'll make this disappointed noise. And then I'll feel like I'm a big jerk for doing that to him.

"Maybe we can meet on Tuesday? I might be going over to Sally's place, but I'm not sure about that. It depends on my schedule that day."

"It's okay! I'll be there. Erm… I miss Sally's coffee anyway."

I stifle a snigger. "If I can make it, I'll be there in the late afternoon."

"Okay."

"…So, I guess I shouldn't be bothering you anymore. I bet you're busy, and I have some stuff I need to do anyway."

"No, you're not bothering me, Duo. But yeah, you should go do your stuff. I'll see you on Tuesday? If you can make it."

"Yeah. Bye, Heero."

"Bye, Duo."

I set the phone back on its cradle, and flop down onto my bed. I did what I can, and maybe I do understand what I'm feeling a little better. Just a little.

-tbc-

Last revised 30th June 2005


	19. Handling Relationships

Title: Handling relationships

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, R+1, 5+H

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: If it weren't for the gun aimed at my head, I'd say that I own GW. However, due to Heero's possessiveness, I do not own Duo, the GW gang or the anime. But even Heero can't deny that I own this fic!

Note: Zechs and Relena are not related in this fic.

Thanx to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

I spare my watch a glance as I dash along the corridor. Vaguely, I register someone yelling at me to stop running, but hey. Who cares? I know I don't. So I keep running. Finally, I reach my destination and I burst into the study room.

"Sorry I'm late!" I gasp as I plop onto a seat.

"Hey, it's okay. You're late by…" Solo smirks, and glances at his watch. His smirk is replaced by a look of disbelief when he does. "…only a minute. Heck! In fact, less than a full minute!"

"I'm still late," I reply, a little irked by my own unpunctuality. I hate being late.

"You're obsessed with punctuality, aren't you?" He laughs, shaking his head. "You know, if it weren't for the fact that I needed to come to the library for a little research, I wouldn't even be here in at least another fifteen minutes. Hmm… you wanna know what the great prophet Solo predicts will be happening in the near future?"

"What?" I ask, putting my backpack onto the table we're using.

"You'll go bonkers, doing this project with me. I'm never on time!"

"Doesn't really matter, as long as you're willing to foot the hospital bill."

He laughs again. Really, he reminds me a lot of Duo. Both of them have the same laugh. But of course, Duo's a lot sweeter. A lot more attractive. Sigh… I met him 2 days ago, and he called me last night, but still… I miss him. Well, at least I'll get to see him tomorrow.

"Hey!"

I blink. "Huh?"

"A penny for your thoughts. Or maybe even a gold bar. I'm really curious as to what Heero Yuy, one of the best behaved students here, thinks!"

I can almost feel the redness of my cheeks. "Err… why don't we start on our project? We've got to hand this in to Mrs. Smith in two weeks, don't we? We can't be late for this. She promised to give a zero to all late assignments." I know I'm blabbering, but I can't stop myself.

Solo grins at me knowingly. "Fine, we'll start on it now."

* * *

Even though he doesn't look like it, Solo is very organized and serious when it comes to work. He's also rather innovative. And bold, I might add. He actually suggested setting up a shop and sell dildos and condoms. Or even some sex toys. That I could take, although I was a little incredulous. We are hormone driven guys after all. But I nearly choked when he said that I would have to demonstrate the products. Solo nearly fell off his chair at the look on my face. Apparently, I take everything too seriously. That was only a joke, he said.

I'm impressed by Solo. And it's not just his intelligence. It's his ability to joke and be serious at the same time. However, that gives me a headache too. I never know when he's kidding me and when he's serious. So when he's kidding with me, I would be so shocked at his words. When he's serious, I'd think he's kidding. And I'd give all the wrong reactions. And then he'd laugh. At me.

Geez.

"Hey Heero."

"Yes?" I reply, looking up from my writing pad.

"What's your family like?"

"My family? Why would you want to know about that?"

"Hey, can't I be curious about my project mate's family? 'Sides, we're friends, aren't we?"

I can't argue with that. "Well… Both of my parents are always abroad because of their jobs, so I don't see them a lot. And I have a younger sister," I answer with a shrug. Not a lot of people have asked me about my family, so it feels a little strange to answer it. But Solo looks at me, and his eyes looks as though they're prompting me to continue. "What?"

"Go on! Anything else? Like who takes care of you at home? I mean, your parents aren't always at home with you, are they?"

"No. They've been flying around since I was young, and they decided it wasn't good for my sister and me to grow up like that. So they don't bring us with them when they go abroad for their work. I'd take care of my sister and the apartment when they're gone. Then their job got so busy that they got stationed permanently at another country. My sister and I stayed here, though. Our parent's friends here… they kind of… look after us."

"You parent's friends?"

"Yeah. Quatre's parents, Zechs' parents…"

"Oh I see. So that's why you're close to them."

"Yeah, we practically grew up together."

Solo nods, apparently satisfied with my answer. With a shrug, I go back to work on our business proposal. Maybe he's just curious about me.

"You know, have you got any hobbies? You seem like the introvert type."

I look up again. "Hobbies? Yeah, of course I do. I like photography."

"That's all? Do you go clubbing, drinking and all that?" Solo asks, seemingly a little amused.

"Not very often. I don't like clubs. They're too noisy. And I don't drink. It's harmful to your body."

He stares at me in what I think is pure disbelief. Well, maybe mixed with a little amazement. But I'm unfazed by that. Everyone gives me that reaction every time I say that. The first time I say that. They start sniggering when I say it for the second time. But my friends… Quatre, Zechs, Trowa and the rest of them are already immune to it. They accept it, and have not tried dragging me to some dingy nightclub in ages.

"Wow. That's… erm, great! Yeah, that's great!" he exclaims, nodding his head with a laugh. A disbelieving laugh, I might add. Then suddenly, he stops laughing and looks at me in the eye. "So what do you do at home?"

"House chores?" I suggest.

"House chores?"

"Yeah. We don't hire a maid or anything. So I have to do it myself."

"Oh. So you do everything?"

"Almost. I clean, I sweep, I vacuum, I cook… my sister does the laundry though."

"You can cook?" He's wide-eyed now. The last time a new acquaintance found out about that, he got over his shock fairly quickly and started to rant on his girlfriend who had never stepped foot inside a kitchen. Still, he's surprised as hell that I, Heero Yuy, can cook. It seems that cooking is not his religion. "Wow! That's great! You know, I can never do it! My brother is always grumbling about my atrocious culinary skills."

"You have a brother?" I ask, not exactly interested to know, but I'm attempting to change the topic, you see? I don't like to be the one always answering.

"Yup! My baby brother's the cutest guy you'll ever see!" he chirps, lips turning up into a face splitting grin. "You'll fall in love with him if you just see him!"

Oh yeah? Duo's the only one to make me feel that way, and I think he'll be the only one in a very long while. "Maybe?" I shrug absently. After all, I'm not interested in anyone but Duo. I smile inwardly again as I reminisce the time when he insisted that I try eating the Mars bar.

He grins winningly. "That's for sure."

I'm about to reply to that when I hear the door to the study room open. I look towards the door, and wince inwardly. Dear god… why does this have to happen to me? Is this God's way of wanting me to joining the track team? So I can train to run faster? Or is this karma for something I did before? In a previous life? Or is this retribution for me making that little bird which had fallen out of its nest, do the can-can and effectively tiring it out so much it nearly died when I was just a kid who didn't know any better? Whatever it is, I don't like it.

"Hi, Heero!"

"Hi… Relena." I grimace at my forced tone. It sounds like I'm almost afraid of her. Which I most definitely am not! I just don't like her, and due to something called manners, I can't just brush her off like the twit she is. Heh… did I just say that?

She flashes her pearly whites at me, and tucks a lock of her light brown hair behind her ear. "I've been looking for you everywhere, Heero!"

"For what?"

"Have you forgotten again? I want to ask you out for dinner! You know? At that new restaurant I mentioned before? That candle light dinner? You remember?" she says, batting her eyes at me coyly.

I blush. As much as I don't like her, I can't deny the fact that she's beautiful. A lot of guys would kill to get into my position as the poor unsuspecting victim… err, object of her affections. At least, that was the case when I first came to this university. Now though, she might have scared off a good number of them with her stalker tendencies. I remember my first day here. There had been some kind of ceremony for us freshman, and after a long talk by some high-ranking guy (I can't remember exactly who it was), I accompanied Quatre and Trowa to one of the canteens for some snacks. While we were eating and conversing, Relena walked up to us and introduced herself with a confident smile. Then she asked me for my name. And by the time she left our table, I knew I had gotten myself a new admirer. As dull as I am, I've got my fair share of admirers, male and female alike. However, it soon came to my notice that Relena was the worst type anyone can get.

At first, it was still okay. I'd see her along corridors and the canteens, and we'd greet each other with a smile and a wave. After a week of that, I started to get suspicious. I am a business student. She is an economics student. The two buildings are not exactly next to each other. The time slots for our lessons are very different. But somehow, I could see her trice a day on the days I have lesson. On the days I don't have lesson, I could still see her at least once if I'm on university grounds.

"She's stalking you, Heero," Zechs said, when I told him of the situation. "And she's blind. Fancy her going for you, the cold rock man. I can't believe she actually missed me!"

Well, Zechs has always had this firm conviction that all girls should have a crush on him simply because he's 'the most handsome, most suave man ever to grace this planet'. His words, not mine.

"If you don't learn to contain your ego, Zechs, you'll push everyone off the planet with it," I returned. "Or maybe your ego will provide the solution to global starvation if you manage to convert it into food."

Anyway, Relena's infatuation with me soon transformed to something that nearly bordered on obsession. She'd follow me everywhere, in and outside of the university grounds. For quite a while, some guys told me that they were extremely envious of me. In their eyes, Relena was a beautiful angel. I agree with that, and I especially like her azure eyes. They always flash confidence, dignity and intelligence. However, I like them only on an aesthetic level. Her eyes oozes confidence too when she's stalking me.

"So Heero, are you free tonight? Why don't we go tonight? You can pick me up at 7."

And pushiness, I might add. The worst thing? It's hard to tell her 'no', because I know it's useless. That word does not exist in Relena Peacecraft's vocabulary. Maybe I should send her a dictionary with that word highlighted and the page book-marked for her birthday. Then again, she'll think I'm being nice to her and step up on her stalking. Yikes.

As I'm contemplating my answer, Solo clears his throat loudly.

"Oh, hi! Sorry, I didn't notice you were here too." Relena looks appropriately surprised. She should either visit her optician, or she should be nominated for an Oscar award. Relena Peacecraft: winner of the 'Best actress' award for her part in the movie "How do I Stalk Thee? Let me count thy ways".

"It's okay. I didn't want to play gooseberry, but," Solo points at his throat, smiling an apologetic smile, "my throat isn't feeling too well. Sorry. Anyway, the name's Solo."

Relena takes his hand and shakes it. "Relena."

"Of course! I should have known that you're the famous Relena!"

"Famous?" she parrots.

"Definitely! Everyone's been talking about you! The guys say that you're beautiful and the girls say that you're refined. I didn't believe them, until I saw you in person today!"

"Really?" Relena beams, her face reflecting my surprise. Why is Solo saying all this? As far as I can tell from his words, he doesn't like her a lot either. Maybe he's building up for the big letdown.

"Of course! Heero is so fortunate to have you! But well, Relena, we're doing a very important project right now. And the project will probably consume us for at least the next few weeks. So if you'd please, let us finish it first and free up Heero's time," he replies with a wink, and Relena blushes. Like I said, Solo is a handsome guy. Second to Duo, of course.

"I understand perfectly what you mean! Alright, I'll leave you two alone here now. But if you think I can help in anywhere, don't hesitate to ask me! I'll ask all my friends to come over and help if need be!"

"Thank you so much, Miss Relena!"

"Oh, don't bother! Just call me Relena, and I'll call you Solo. You'd prefer it that way too, wouldn't you? I mean, the 'miss' and 'mister' makes us sound so old!"

"Okay then, bye Relena!"

"Bye Solo! Bye Heero!" she chirps and leaves quietly.

I can't believe it. I've tried ways and means to get that girl to leave me alone to no avail. My attempts of persuading her are futile. Currently, the only way that is partially successful is running away, although sneaking away is much more effective. So how does Solo do it with only what? A few words? I am /so/ very impressed. Wonder if he'll take me in as a disciple.

"How… did you do it?"

"Flattering will get you anyway with a girl if you know how to say it right." Solo grins smugly.

"Why did you… flatter her?"

"It's a tactic, Heero. When you butter girls like Relena up, they tend to be easy to talk to. But god, don't you think of doing it! Because she'll think that you like her, and that you're just playing hard-to-get. When that happens, her stalking will know no bounds! It's different for me, because she doesn't know me! She doesn't have a crush on me!"

"Oh…"

"Heero, it's good to categorize girls sometimes. Like… Relena is the stalker type. That's the hardest type to deal with, but well… sweet-talking can do wonders. Only if you're not the object of their obsession though. And remember that Jennifer girl in class that day? She's the open-minded, bordering on no personal morals, and having a little stalker tendencies. That's a difficult one too."

"Oh…"

"Okay, Heero sonny! I know you're impressed. But let's finish this project up first, shall we? I can teach you more another time. I've got to free up my timeslots. My baby brother is always getting into trouble with his school work, and I need to go help him."

* * *

Solo is nothing but thorough in his work. Which is probably why he never hands up his work on time, because he works slowly to fine tune every minute detail. So, after one afternoon of talk, we still haven't decided on what to sell.

He suggested selling errands, meaning that we'd perform tasks for our customers as long as it's not against our ethics. However, we failed to come up with a good explanation of it so that Relena wouldn't be able to twist the meaning and get me to go on a date with her. So we tossed that idea out of the window. Then I suggested selling foodstuff, but Solo was against it because his dog wouldn't even sniff at the cookies he bakes.

"Well, it's late already. I guess we'll have to continue with this tomorrow. We have no lessons tomorrow, right? So we can come a bit earlier and hopefully decide on what we wanna sell. Better not be something stupid. I heard that Wayne's team is gonna sell customized CDs by burning out their mp3s. They're gonna get arrested before they sell a thing!"

"Yeah, we'll do this tomorrow," I answer. "At twelve?" If it works out, I'll make it in time to meet Duo at Sally's tomorrow late afternoon.

"Twelve it'll be then! We'll meet right here!"

"Okay."

"So, you wanna have dinner? I'm going to buy some take-out home."

"No thanks. My sister's waiting for me to start dinner."

"Oh yeah, you said you cook at home. Aww, you're so nice to your sister. I'm impressed."

"Aren't you nice to your brother?"

"Of course I am! Heh, talking about him… you know, I've always set cooking as one of the criteria his boy or girlfriend has to meet before I'd allow them to date!"

I choke.

* * *

I take a tiny sip of the soup, and nod at the taste. Just enough flavouring. I stir the soup a little more, and turn off the stove. I'll have to wait for the thing to cool down a little before I can take it to the dining table without burning my hands. So I turn on the fire for the stove beside it, and place the wok on it. Adding some sunflower oil into the heating wok, I stir at it absently.

Is cooking really that important to be a good boyfriend? I can't see Solo's logic in that. But… I wonder if Duo'll like it. I wonder if he'll like my cooking. Maybe Zechs' right. I should prepare something for him someday. And I'll have the problem of choosing among Chinese or Western or Japanese. Honestly, cooking Chinese food is my forte. It's easy and the food's great. Japanese… I have a little problem with that even though that's my heritage. My sushi can't seem to hold together very well. And Western… Hirde always complains that her steak is bleeding on her plate. Either that, or she claims she needs jaws of steel to chew the meat. The timing's a big problem.

Suddenly, I hear the door opening and closing. Hirde's home. She actually returned later than I did; she must have gone for some ice cream after school.

"Hirde?" I call out, after dumping the chopped vegetables into the wok.

She comes into the kitchen and reaches for her stash of chocolate bars in the fridge. "Don't worry. It's me, and not some robber who's barging into your apartment." She looks at the ingredients all laid out on the kitchen table. "Chinese again? Can't we have a change sometimes? I mean, you've been cooking Chinese for the past few days…"

"Sure. We'll have take-out tomorrow."

"No! No! No! I prefer Chinese! Honest!" she exclaims. "Anyway, call me out when dinner's ready. I'm gonna be in my room."

"Aren't you always? Never helping me out for dinner…"

"Get used to it, Heero."

"It's unfair, you know? You stay all clean and cool in your room waiting for dinner, while I have to slog like a pig in front of the stove preparing dinner."

"Heero, why don't you just install a fan?"

"Yeah, and the fire from the stove will be flickering away every time I turn it on."

"Air-con?"

"Yeah, and the food will freeze their asses off. I don't want to reheat them over and over."

"You're just lazy," she teases, and slips out of the kitchen before I have a chance to turn my glare on and toast her. I roll my eyes, and continue with the cooking. Then, less than a minute later, Hirde pokes her head in again.

"Wait. You mean the potatoes have assholes?" She laughs and flees into her room.

I stand there for a moment, my mind trying to picture what she just said. With a shudder, I decide that I don't really want to know. Sometimes, Hirde and I have the strangest conversations ever.

* * *

She's peeking at me through her bangs again. That's… what? The fifth time in ten minutes? Something is definitely wrong with my sister. I'll wait though; she must be waiting for /me/ to initiate the conversation. I'll enjoy a few more minutes of her discomfort first. Call me evil, but I think it's her retribution for always talking my ears off.

I pick up a piece of pork with my chopsticks adeptly. Heh. One of the things I like doing with the guys is when we dine in a Chinese restaurant because I'm best at using the chopsticks. Quatre, Trowa and Catherine have all given up on using it and have resorted to using forks and spoons instead. Zechs, the arrogant one, refuses to concede defeat. The last time we dined together at a Chinese restaurant, he got so frustrated at using it that he started stabbing at his food with his chopsticks. I snigger softly. Hmm… I wonder if Duo's good at this. If he's not, I might have a good time teaching him how. Considering the fact that I will probably need to stand at close proximity with him and perhaps even grab hold of his hand, I think I /will/ enjoy doing it.

"Heero? Are you okay? You're sniggering like you have a plot to trick or take advantage of someone."

I blink. Wow. That's a close hit. "Nothing. I just remembered something about Zechs."

She nods, and goes back to alternately picking at her food and chewing it. I think I should probably ask her now, about what's wrong with her today.

"Hirde, did something go wrong in school today? You seem a bit off," I comment offhandedly, knowing full well that she'll take over the conversation now.

"Hah! You asked me first! I didn't say anything, okay?" Hirde claps, perking up already. "You're always complaining that I talk too much. Now remember! You asked about this! I'm just answering your question!"

"Fine. Let me guess. Wufei's involved in this?"

"Of course! He's the root of the problem! The kind that delves fifty feet into the ground and spreads out so wide!"

Ever since I taught Hirde about the types of vegetation in a desert for her geography home assignment, she's been trying to impress me. Maybe helping her with her assignments wasn't such a good idea after all.

"So what did he do this time that you didn't like?" Take note of my language. I said 'didn't like'. I'm actually pretty sure that Wufei didn't do anything wrong, just something Hirde didn't like. My sister can be pretty bossy sometimes.

"He's getting so close to Meiran again!"

Scratch that. Hirde is bossy most of the time.

"Hirde, that is…"

"No, let me finish! Okay, listen. Wufei promised to treat me to some soda this afternoon at Scoops. You know? That new ice cream place that just opened a while ago? Anyway, we went there and just enjoyed ourselves! We talked, we ate… Then, he spied Meiran coming in alone, so he invited her to come over to our table. Okay, that was acceptable. I mean, he was just being nice. And then, the two of them started to sit so close together a mosquito couldn't fly between them! They shared fries too! They…"

"Hirde, you know that it is impossible between them!"

"Why? How do you know?"

"Because they're cousins!"

"Maternal cousins! Someone told me that maternal cousins can get married (1)!"

I groan inwardly. Couldn't my sister at least have the sense to go verify things before kicking up a fuss? God only knows how much Wufei has to put up with her temper. "Yes Hirde, they can get married. But scientifically speaking, it tends to cause biological complications for their children. So I really don't think Wufei would do that. Really, you should read up sometimes…"

She pouts.

"And you can't go around accusing Wufei of being unfaithful to you every time you see a girl getting close to him. He's got the right to make friends, male or female."

"But Heero, he's so nice to girls! He treats other girls almost as well as he treats me!"

"You said so yourself. 'Almost'."

"But I… Wufei had so many female admirers before we started to date. What if…?"

"Hirde, think about it this way. He had so many female admirers, but he chose you! Of all the girls, he chose you! Doesn't it mean something? He likes you, better than he likes the rest. In his eyes, you're special. Something in you made you stand out and captured his attention. Isn't that way he dated you?"

She's looking thoughtful now. Finally. I can't believe that I'm sitting here in the dining room, having this talk with my sister. Where's my mother? Isn't she supposed to do this mother-daughter thing? It feels strange to say all that to Hirde. But honestly, I believe what I said. There has got to be this element of charm in you before someone will date you. Something that makes you stands out, special. But in my case, it was kinda different. After all, I didn't get a clear view of Duo's face, much less know how charming he is, until many days later when I saw him for the first time. Then again, love at first sight is an exception, I guess.

"And well… if you're dating him… if you care for someone, like someone, love someone, you should always trust that person. There's no love when the trust isn't there."

"Maybe…"

"Hirde, we spend so much time looking for that one person worthy of our affections. We should be perfecting the love we give them, instead of trying to pick faults with them and drive them away. Besides, you can't expect Wufei to avoid all other girls just because you don't like it, do you?"

"I'm not insisting that he avoids girls. I just want him to stop being so nice to them! I feel… threatened."

I smile, and put some vegetables into Hirde's bowl of rice. "C'mon, eat up. You shouldn't worry about this sort of things. Wufei won't be unfaithful to you if he really likes you. If he really goes out with another girl, then it's just too bad. He doesn't know what's good for him."

Hirde grins at me with a nod, and digs into her dinner with renewed vengeance. "You're right. If Wufei messes with another girl, I'll just kick his scrawny little butt so hard he'll kiss the moon! And then, I'll find myself a better boyfriend."

"That is, if you don't scare Wufei off with your temper first."

"Hey!" she snaps, aiming her chopsticks at me as if she's going to shoot me.

But honestly, I'm not afraid of that because I've got a hold over her. "Try that, and you'll be eating instant noodles and leftovers for the next few days."

Her chopsticks dutifully went back to helping her pick up her food, but she pouts at me. "Honestly, how's it going between you and that Duo guy?"

"Huh?" I blink. Had my sister just joined the interrogation team Zechs and Quatre set up? "Oh, we're doing fine."

"How fine? Kissy-kissy fine? Or just talking fine?"

"Hirde!" I glare, and she 'eeps'. For a while, we eat in silence. But my mind is doing a marathon, and I can just hear the gears grinding inside. When Duo and I really become a couple, I hope we won't end up like Hirde and Wufei. Sure, we'll probably have our little couple spats once in a while because it's impossible for two people to not argue. But I'd rather it be a small one.

But well… when we get together, I want to pamper him. I know that sounds silly, but it's a childhood dream. When I was younger, when I still read fairy tales (Hirde shoved the books in my face and made me read them to her before she went to bed), I noticed that all the endings were fairly irritating. All that 'happily ever after' crap pretty much left me dangling in the air, with not a clue about what happened after that. Being the fastidious guy that I am, I made it a point to think up of a more conclusive ending. The prince would pamper his wife with all the riches he had in the world, with all his love he had in his heart.

And when I grew older, I wanted to act out those endings.

Now that I know that that person I care for is someone like Duo, I want to pamper him the way I imagined the princes coddled their wives. What I feel for him is so intense I'll burst if I don't let it show.

"Thinking of him again, aren't you? Just look at that goofy grin you have on your face!" Hirde laughs.

I blush hotly. It's bad enough that my friends are teasing me like hell about this. Does my sister have to do it too?

* * *

I slink back into room after dinner, and I thank god again for the dishwasher. I think it's a wonderful invention; at least, it saves me from doing the dishes.

Sliding into my chair, I thank god once more for the comfy, cushioned chair that can turn around 360 degrees. It gives me a nice view of my room and I don't have to turn my head so much.

But of course, I thank god the most for letting me meet Duo. I sigh as my eyes land on all the pictures of him pinned up on my walls and the ones on my table. Sigh… he looks nice in every one of them, smiling so beautifully at me. Joy. And I'll be seeing him tomorrow. Double joy.

His smile… is an invitation for my imagination to go wild. Hey… that sounds great. It's going into my confession list. I grab my pen and list, and quickly scribble it down. In the middle of that, the phone rings shrilly. I peer at my watch, and shrug. That's probably Wufei. He calls every night around this time. Hirde made him do it, I think. Sort of like clocking in for work and punching in the punch card.

Whatever that is, it just serves to remind me of the phone call Duo made last night. Hmm… somehow, I manage to link almost everything happening in my life to Duo. Wonder why that is. Anyway, he called me last night. He called. For the first time since getting my number, he called.

That is such a… it's like a milestone in our relationship! As I think about it, I'm so tempted to run to his place and smooch him hard on his lips. Then again, his brother's probably in at this time, and will possibly wring my neck for doing that.

Tomorrow will be a nice day. And it will probably become the best day of my life if I can figure out a way to 'accidentally' kiss him.

-tbc-

(1): Actually, this is true, and in fact, it is still carried out in many parts of the world. Apparently, it's mostly to strengthen the bloodline and to keep their fortune within the family. However, it apparently increases the chances of getting some genetic disease because of the limited gene pool.

Last revised 30th June 2005


	20. Colourblind

Title: Colourblind

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, one-sided R+1

Warnings: Heero POV, semi-songfic, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: When I looked at my calendar, which had this nice picture of two houses nearly buried to the roof by snow, I thought it was December. And I was so excited and eager to see Santa drop off the GW guys at my house as my Christmas pressie for being such a nice little girl this year. Then, I looked closer at my calendar, and noticed that it was only June. Six more months to go! So currently, I /still/ don't own any of the GW guys. I don't need Santa to give me this fic because it's mine though! As an added note, I don't own any brands, tv shows, or song mentioned here. 'Colourblind' belongs to Darius and his record company.

Note: The idea for Heero and Solo's business project is completely fictional. I'm not even sure if it can be approved. It's the best I can come up with though, so please consider it as artistic license.

(_blah_) are lyrics.

Thanx to Dark Tenchi for beta-ing!

* * *

I yawn. Loudly. Jaw-splittingly. And dropped my pen that I was using on my foolscap paper that contained all my notes for my project. 

"You didn't sleep last night?" Solo asks, grinning that little signature grin of his. "What were you doing?"

I rub my eyes and sigh. "I was just thinking too much. Couldn't get to sleep." Oh, that is definitely true. It's hard to fall asleep with images of Duo flying around my head like mosquitoes, for lack of a better word.

"Thinking? Of what? Thinking dirty thoughts about your lover?"

I look away, hoping that he won't notice the redness of my face. Yeah, so I wasn't having quite so 'clean' thoughts about Duo. But hey, I'm a young, hormone driven guy! You can't blame anyone for that, much less me. Besides, Duo's one of the best-looking guy I've seen in a very long while. I swear I can hear a happy tune playing somewhere whenever he comes into my mind.

"About Relena?"

The tune grounds to a squeaky halt, and I nearly wince. "What!"

Solo laughs, one hand over his mouth to keep his volume down. We are, after all, in the school library for our project proposal. The librarian has the tendency to kick noisy people out because he's noise-intolerant. Gee… that sounds like a disease or something.

Finally, the laugh bug leaves Solo and he straightens up, still wearing a smirk. "You know, your face just turned white when I suggested Relena. It was like you just saw a ghost or something."

"I might as well have seen one! Oh please! Don't mention her /that/ way! It creeps me out." I shudder. I'm not lying when I say that. Trust me. You'll learn to be scared of anyone when that person turns up in all sorts of places just to find you. When that happens, even someone who's as pretty as Relena will send you running. Then I frown, wondering why in the world would Solo mention that blonde girl suddenly.

"Why are you bringing her up now?"

"Actually, I met Relena this morning along the corridor. I think she was late for lessons, so she just flew by me with a quick 'hello'. She was running so fast I thought she was leaving a trail of fire!"

I laugh as the mental image of a flustered Relena appears in my mind. In all the time I've known her, I've never seen that in her before. She is always so… prim and proper, like a speck of dust would set her off. That's probably part of the reason why I can't picture myself with her. It's not that I'm sleazy or anything, but I can't stand being so formal all the time. But still, most of the reason is because of her stalking tendencies. "Maybe she's stalking you instead of me now," I suggest, though I highly doubt it.

"Nah… impossible. Her stalker type indicates that she won't give you up so easily." Solo brushes my idea off with a wave of his hand. "Besides, are you really that eager to get away from her?"

I peer at him with a look that I hope clearly says, 'Are you kidding?' Of course I want to get away from that blonde harpy. Who wouldn't? However, I think that look does not convey my thoughts, because Solo's still gazing at me with his head cocked to one side.

"No, I'm not eager to get away from her. I desperately, dreadfully, urgently /need/ to get away from her." I pronounce each word sharply, hoping that they'll sink into his mind now.

"You don't like her."

I raise my eyebrows at him.

"Not even a teeny, weeny bit?"

I cross my arms.

"Aa… poor girl. She'll be heartbroken…" Solo says melodramatically, sighing loudly and dabbing at his eyes with an imaginary handkerchief. That melancholy lasted for a good second before he grinned brightly as if to rival the sun. "But well… that's not my problem, is it?"

I roll my eyes, and turn back to our project. We've been in this study room for quite a while already, perhaps an hour or even more, and still we've not a clue as to what to do. We're still in the stages of arguing what to sell. It's not going very well, though. We've sort of found out what some groups want to sell, and since we don't want to clash with them, that has already eliminated quite a few of our ideas. Although admittedly, some groups are really lacking in creativity in the projects they want to sell and those… stuff aren't exactly what I have in mind. Like Wayne is still adamant about selling customized CDs… Anyway, things are not going well with us. It's hard to be creative, and still not be over-imaginative. Like Eric and Kenny, who are thinking of selling errands, which means that they'll help you do something for a bit of money. Creative, sure. But with the number of enemies those two have, they are going to find themselves in heap loads of trouble.

I'm about to ask for Solo's opinions on our project, but he interrupts my thoughts with yet another question.

"Honestly Heero, have you ever tried getting a friend to pretend to be your lover so she'll give up?"

Sighing, I nod. "Yeah, Catherine tried to help. But Relena saw right through it and immediately stepped up her efforts to get me because she thought that my friends were coddling me."

Solo laughs heartily and leans back in his chair, propping his legs on the table. "You know, you should try getting a fake lover. A more convincing one. And preferably a /boy/friend. Relena will probably be disgusted and leave you alone. She just gives me the impression that she's a very traditional person, a little homophobic, yeah?"

I blink, completely taken aback. Why hadn't I ever thought of that? Relena Peacecraft's traditional beliefs are just as well known as her stalking tendencies. If I really do get myself someone to be my boyfriend, there's a high possibility that she won't be seen within a mile of me. "That might work… She comes from a very well respected linage. A gay boyfriend would mar her reputation," I reply, feeling like a burden had been jettisoned from my shoulders. Then comes the big, big, big question. "But who?"

"Your friends?" he suggests absently, toying with a lock of hair.

"She already knows that Quatre and Trowa are a couple and although Zechs is the biggest flirt, he's already attached to Noin… I haven't got anyone else close enough for this kinda thing…" I look at him.

Solo continues gazing into nowhere for a moment, but I think he can feel my eyes on him. His jaws drop when he sees that calculating look I'm shooting him. "Hey, don't look at me that way! I've buttered her up before; she won't see me as a rival in love."

"Then who? You're the one who came up with the idea."

"Exactly, so I've done my part already. Why don't you find someone outside of our university? Surely you have friends outside!"

Ah, got me there. I'd be the first to admit that Heero Yuy is an anti-social recluse, not bad enough to drive all his friends away, but still not good enough to have many friends. My so-called friends outside are just talking acquaintances, nothing more. I look at Solo again, hoping to find some help there. Instead, his expectant look reminds me of someone.

Duo.

How could I forget him? He'll be perfect for the role! Beautiful, lovely, intelligent Duo will be able to beat Relena hands down! In terms of looks, Duo wins. In terms of intelligence, I'm pretty sure Duo wins still. Duo's a brunette, Relena's a blonde. Doesn't that just speak for itself? In terms on personality, Duo wins too. So yes, Duo is the perfect candidate for this. And maybe I'll be able to convince Duo to stay as my boyfriend after I've successfully chased Relena away.

Then comes the gigantic problem. Duo doesn't know me well enough to want to act as my boyfriend. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea to drag him into this. What if Relena scares him off? There's a distinct possibility.

I think I'm killing too many of my brain cells for this, I need to keep some for the project. Wait a minute. I came to the library today for the project, not for a plot to deal with Relena!

"Hey Solo. Why are you so interested in this? Shouldn't we be doing our project now?"

"No particular reason. I'm just interested." He shrugs. "And about our project… I've already thought about it last night. In fact, I've got some price lists and various notes printed out here." He digs into his backpack, and tosses a stack of paper onto the table.

I'm impressed. Solo really doesn't cut corners when it comes to serious things. I pick up the papers, and raise an eyebrow. "Florists? Solo, you aren't thinking of selling flowers, are you?"

"I am."

"But… why? Who would want to buy flowers?"

"Haven't /you/ ever bought flowers for your boy or girlfriend?"

Actually, no. It's never even come to my mind before. Besides, I never had anyone to buy flowers for. Yeah, so I've been deprived, but hey… I have Duo now. Maybe I should consider buying some flowers for Duo…Wonder if he'll like it.

"From the look on your face, I can tell that no, you've never done that before," Solo notes, deadpanned with a hint of wry amusement. "Listen to my idea. We can sell roses, and we're not just gonna sell it like a florist. We can make it to be like a game. Firstly, our customers are to buy a red rose, which symbolizes true love, and use it to confess their feelings to the person they like. After that, the person who gets the red rose is to return the other person with a white rose if they accept the feelings, or a yellow rose if they reject the other person (1)."

Realization dawns on me. "I see… But why white and yellow?"

"White roses symbolize purity and sincerity. On the other hand, yellow roses symbolize rejected love."

"And how are we going to keep the flowers fresh?"

"I'd admit that's a bit of a problem, because the flowers will wilt if we leave it out for too long. So if we really do this, we'd have to go to the florist every morning to pick up the roses. After that, we can keep it fresh with a few cotton balls soaked with water, and then wrap the bottom of each stem with aluminum foil. That way, the flowers can last the whole day. And we can consider selling something to take advantage of couples established that way."

"What's your plan?" I ask. Knowing him, he's already done all the necessary research. Maybe it's a breeze, doing a project with him.

He winks at me confidently, validating my suspicion. "Easy! I was thinking of selling special pendants. We can engrave different designs on it, and there'll be only two pendants with the same design. That way, couples can buy a pair of the pendants and generally show off their partners."

"You're building that up from the general trend that new couples like to show off…" I mutter, thinking of how Quatre and Trowa had showed me their gifts from the other when they had first got together. Hirde did that too, now that I think about it.

"Exactly!" Solo snaps his fingers, smirking widely. "I've already gotten the price lists for both the roses and the pendants. About the pendants, it'll be a small, elongated oval shaped piece of silver metal with rounded edges. Actually, it's a little like dog tags. The size is about 3cm by 1.5cm. Roughly there. We'll have to come up with the designs ourselves, and this shop will help us produce it."

I read through his printouts. Actually, I'm pretty floored by the amount of work he's put in. Nearly everything has been done in detail. And the prices! Damn, but I've never seen roses this cheap before! The pendants aren't as expensive as I'd thought it'd be too. Solo's already worked out the budget needed; it's about three quarters the amount given to us. That leaves us with another quarter to advertise, which is definitely more than enough.

"So? What do you think of my plan?"

"It's… good! I like it! How did you come up with the idea anyway?"

"I read it somewhere. The roses idea came from some magazine that was lying around in the café, and I picked it up, flipped it, and viola! I saw this article about roses and the various meanings of the different rose colours. I just worked it around a bit. I came up with the pendants idea myself though. As for the cost price, you don't have to worry too much. I know a friend who owns a flower shop, and my uncle has a friend who can help us with the pendants. We should be able to get a discount rate or something."

"Friends? For both the roses and the pendants?" I ask, wide-eyed.

"Heero, Heero…" –he wags a finger at me- "Nowadays, you gotta have a large network of friends to help you get along in the world. Makes a lot of things easier."

I nod dumbly, not quite sure how to respond to that. I am, after all, a man of few words and even fewer friends.

"Now, all that's left to do is to write up the report. Oh wait. We have to think of advertising too. Any ideas?"

Now he asks me. I'm pretty sure that he already has a carefully formulated plan in his head, something which will probably be better than what I can come up with. Then again, he just wants my opinion. I rack my brains, willing that spark of creativity to move from Solo's brain to mine. Suddenly, I remember something.

"Solo, you remember which week we're supposed to set up our business?"

He blinks. "Erm… I think it's 5 weeks from now."

I count the weeks mentally. "Isn't that the week where there's supposed to be a celebration of some type?"

"Hey, you're right, man! I think the students' council's organizing some dance party in the university. Great then! It'll boost our sales!"

"I think we should talk to the students' council and advertise our rose 'game' along with the party."

"Great idea! That way, maybe we can cut costs on advertising too!" He claps excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. Suddenly, his digital watch beeps. "Oops! Forgot the time! Sorry, Heero. But I gotta run and grab some stuff. Can we continue with this tomorrow? After our lecture?"

"Sure! I have to go too, anyway."

"Great! See you tomorrow then!" He waves a little wave, and scampers off. Vaguely, I hear the librarian telling him to stop running. Heh, I'm reminded of that stupid librarian I met a while ago, whose meddling made me miss Duo (2).

I look at my watch, and pick up my stuff. If I leave now, I'll make it just in time to meet Duo at Sally's. I'd better hurry; it won't do me any good if I turn up late.

* * *

Wretched bus is crawling like a tortoise! I've been waiting at the bus station for at least a good fifteen minutes! I think I'll just walk to Sally's; I'm already pretty close anyway. Thankfully, the first bus ride had already brought me within walking distance. Still, I have to take a fifteen-minute walk to get there. I'm supposed to change buses, but I think I'll rather walk now than wait more. I hate waiting. 

Besides, I haven't done my share of people watching lately. Now's the time to rectify that. It's easier to observe people when you're walking anyway.

That guy walking towards me reminds me of the cookie monster by the way he's stuffing the cookies into his mouth. His blue attire makes it worse. If he's unemployed, he should go interview for the role in… is it Sesame Street? I'm convinced he'll get it. And that spunky waitress bouncing around in the Starbucks café looks interesting. I think her bra hooks just came off, and that old man close by is ogling her. No doubt what's on his mind. I roll my eyes, and continue walking. I'm not going to be the one to tell the girl; she'll probably think I'm a pervert.

I look across the road and notice a blonde guy and a brunette, seemingly cornering someone. They look strangely familiar, but I just can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe I've met them in the university; after all, with all the people moving around, I could never recognize everybody.

Then I spot a chestnut braid. Since I've seen only one guy with hair like that, I'm pretty sure that's Duo. And he's being cornered by the two jerks. Damn.

Quickly, I run across the road, grateful for the lack of cars there. Once across, I run towards Duo and yell, "Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

All three pairs of eyes shoot towards me, and I glare at the two bullies. They seem startled to see me, as if they recognize me. I'm starting to think that I really know them. 'Know' as in I have talked to them before, and not just walked by them once or twice. Duo grabs that opportunity, and ducks between them and runs towards me.

"Heero!" His voice is a little flustered, as is his expression, but I can hear a bit of relief. And I'm strangely elated to hear that.

"Are you okay?"

He nods. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I offer him a nod, and I turn back to glare a hole through the two jerks. Suddenly, I remember their names. "Mueller! Alex!"

Duo blinks in confusion. "You know them?"

"Yeah." Gently pushing Duo aside, I crack my knuckles. The two of them look ready to run. They must remember what happened the last time we met. "So I see you've got a new target, huh? That's good. But well, I'm more loyal to my choices. I haven't changed mine. So if you don't mind, I'd like to continue where I left off the last time."

The threat hangs uselessly in the air, now that the two cowards have taken flight. Pathetic.

Duo runs up to me, apparently in awe. "What happened? They just… ran off like something was after them!"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. Erm, you are going to Sally's, aren't you? We can talk about this there." Oh, I hope he's going. I recall that he said he wasn't sure if he would be free during our phone call that day.

"Yeah, I'm free now. C'mon! You just saved me a whole lot of trouble! I'll give you a treat at Sally's!" He smiles at me gratefully, and my irritation evaporates.

It's strange how he seems to be able to lift my spirits so easily.

* * *

Sally's a strange one; exactly the type of boss everyone wants, I tell you. Apparently, she pays her employees to just stand there and look pretty, because she likes to serve the orders personally. So when she shuffles over to us, and places our order on the table, I'm not surprised in the least. 

However, it's not like her to not surprise me every once in a while.

"Duo, your coffee," she says, pushing it towards him. Then, she turns to me and winks teasingly, "Sorry, Heero. I remembered the sugar this time." And she saunters off like we aren't blushing like hell.

"Erm… so can you tell me about it now? How did you know Mueller and Alex?"

Nice change of topic, Duo. I like it. At least I don't feel like I'm treading on ice. "Those two were Hirde's, erm my sister's, seniors in secondary school previously. They used to pick on her and tried to make her life in school miserable. Things got pretty bad at one point in time, and she came home crying. So I went to school with her the next day. I found out that the two of them were on the karate team, and I well, challenged them during their karate lessons. Simply put, I beat them upside down and threatened to repeat that every time my sister complained about them. Hirde told me that they ran away every time they saw her for at least a full week afterwards."

He chuckles, and shakes his head. "I wish I could've seen that. But Heero, you never told me that you know karate."

"Oh, I learned a little when I was younger. My father insisted that I should learn some for self-defense." _Now Heero Yuy! Say something romantic! _"And also to protect people I need to protect. Someone important to me like…" _Say it, Heero!_

"Like your sister?"

"Yeah! Yeah, my sister," I mutter, feeling a headache in my mind as my inner self growled. _You know, Heero, at times like these, you're supposed to say 'Someone important to me, like you!' _I shrug it off, a little disappointed in losing the good opportunity to get romantic with Duo.

"That's cool. I wish my uncle had sent me for karate lessons too. Then maybe I could have keep Mueller and Alex away from me."

"That reminds me. Why were they, you know, trying to…" I pause, unsure of how to phrase it. 'Bully' and 'intimidate' sounds insulting.

"We're in the same junior college now, and well, they just don't like me. I think it's my hair. You know, my hair's been giving me so many problems. Maybe I should just cut it…" he utters absently, playing with the tip of his braid like it's a paintbrush.

Even though it's not my hair, the idea of cutting it does not sit well with me. When I first met Duo, his chestnut braid was one of the first things that caught my eyes. It's hard to imagine Duo without it. So I guess that explains my outburst.

"NO!"

Duo jumps a little, and looks at me in shock. I can feel every pair of eyes in the coffeehouse looking at me too, and I have a vague impression of someone laughing behind a hand, judging from the muffled sounds. So I am completely justified when I say I am embarrassed to high heavens.

"I mean… Erm… you shouldn't cut your hair! It's lovely! And it's so long; it'd be a waste to cut it! And long hair suits you! You look nice with long hair! I… err…"

"You think I look nice with long hair?" he breathes, a pretty blush crawling up his cheeks.

"Yes!" I nod vigorously.

For a moment, Duo just looks at me. Then, he smiles. "I was just… joking. I won't cut my hair. It's like a memento of my mother. She had long hair, and I used to spend hours brushing it out for her."

Whew! Maybe I haven't embarrassed myself too much in front of Duo. "She must be beautiful then."

"She was."

I blink. "Was?"

"Oh, she's playing harps or trying to eat up the clouds like they're cotton candy now, I guess. At least that's what she told me she wanted to do when she went to heaven."

Crap. "I'm sorry, Duo. I didn't mean to…"

"Hey, it's okay. It's been so many years; I've gotten over it. Besides, I was the one to bring it up." Duo tosses his braid behind him. "My parents died in a car accident several years back. My uncle took my brother and me in after that. Lucky for that, or else I would have created a ruckus in an orphanage!"

"I'm sure the people there would love you. I don't think anyone could dislike you."

He rolls his eyes in amusement. "What about Mueller and Alex then?"

"Okay. Anyone with a sane mind would like you," I reply without hesitation, and I smile when he chuckles. His smiles are infectious, I swear. "Anyway, what were with those two?"

"Like I said, they don't like me. But I'd admit that this is the first time they've tried to do anything to me outside of school. I don't think they were following me though."

I nod. "Well, hopefully they'll stay out of your way for a while. But if they start again, just tell me. I'll help you deal with them."

"Thanks, but I really don't think things will get that bad. They usually just talk down to me, but well, I can handle that. Their insults aren't very creative."

"Anyway Duo, I forgot to tell you this. My parents are currently stationed overseas because of their work, so they haven't come back here for at least three years."

He blinks at me.

"I just thought it was fair to tell you about my parents, since you told me about yours…" The look on Duo's face is unnerving. Did I do the right thing in telling him? Or is it faux pas?

"You're strange, Heero. But well, I guess you're strange in a good way," he says good-naturedly, and pulls up a chair beside me before changing seats. "Remember the last time I said we should change CDs?"

I can only nod under this close proximity.

"Well, I have my discman with me," he says, taking it out of his backpack. Untangling the earphones, he presses one of them into my hands. "We can share it now as we eat. Our coffee and toast are getting cold!"

I peek at Duo, and I see him reaching out for a piece of toast and nibble on it. I follow suit.

Still biting into his food, Duo presses the 'play' button, and the music flows into me. The strums of a guitar is pleasing, to say the least. I think it'll be a nice song. And the singer, a man, starts to sing (3).

(_Feelin' blue, while I'm trying to forget the feeling that I miss you  
Feelin' green, when the jealousy swells and it won't go away in dreams  
Feelin' yellow, I'm confused inside  
A little hazy but mellow when I feel your eyes on me  
Feelin' fine! Sublime!  
When that smile of yours creeps into my mind) _

Heh. Did Duo pick this song as some kind of hint? Because it's reflecting all of my recent thoughts. Oh, I'm a little depressed when I miss him, and it makes me jealous when I think of all his friends in school who are no doubt, in closer proximity with Duo most of the time. Confusion though… not quite, I think. I mean, I know what I want from Duo and why I want it. I'm just confused about the way to get it. Okay, so I /am/ confused.

_(Nobody told me you'd feel so good  
Nobody said you'd be so beautiful  
Nobody warned me about your smile  
You're the light, you're the light  
When I close my eyes  
I'm colourblind  
You make me colourblind)_

Bingo. Again, all true. It seems that everyone thought I was a goner in terms of getting a significant other, so nobody had ever bothered to tell me how nice it was to be in love. Sigh… Duo is one of the best things that happened to me, I'm sure of that. As my hand covers his when we both reach for the toast, I just want to thank this singer, whoever he is, for giving me this opportunity to sit so close to Duo.

When the song is over, Duo stops the CD. "How's the song? You like it?"

"I thought it was great. But don't you listen to rock music? That was definitely pop music."

"Yeah. But well, I do listen to pop music occasionally. And this is a pretty good album. Heard it on the radio station the other day, and I liked it, so I borrowed it from a friend. Besides, it's a nice change of pace sometimes."

"I understand." I mentally file that little piece of info away. It might be useful as a reference to buy a present someday.

* * *

I take out the necessary utensils for preparing dinner, humming a nice little tune aloud. I had just returned home after walking Duo to the bottom of his apartment, with a promise to meet again this coming Sunday. I'm pretty sure I'm still walking on air. 

Hirde pokes into the kitchen, and proceeds to raid the fridge. "Heero?"

"What?"

"Is that 'Colourblind' you're humming?"

I nod. "Yeah."

"I didn't know you listened to pop music… You're always worshipping those new age singers," she says, pulling the cap off a bottle of ice water.

I offer her a shrug, smiling inwardly. "It's a nice change of pace sometimes."

-tbc-

(1): The idea of the roses comes from a manga I've read. If it belongs to anyone, it's not me. ;;

(2): Reference to Seventh Heaven part 3.

(3): This song is 'Colourblind' by Darius. I don't lay claim to it in any way.

Last revised 30th June


	21. Meeting on the Campus

Title: Meeting on the Campus

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4, 6+9

Warnings: Heero POV, slight humour, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: Of course I own the GW gang. In fact, I'm bringing them to the Yaoi-Con coming soon. However, I'm having a hard time trying to get all their costumes and convince my friends to cosplay with me, so you'll probably not see me there. So no, unless you think cosplayers are the real things, I don't own any of the real GW gang. Not that I own my friends. This fic does not need a costume, so I own it. But I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters either.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

I sip at my hot coffee, enjoying the warmth heating up my hands. It's been a cold day, what with the shower that has lasted the whole morning. My lessons for the day have just finished, and I'm currently in the school cafeteria with the guys. Quatre and Trowa are drinking their own coffee (separate cups, thank god) and holding their private conversation, which I, no doubt, think has something to do with a date later in the day. The two lovebirds can give nearly any couple a run for their money for being the mushiest couple in history. Zechs is strangely despondent today, and has flopped his arms onto the table like some rag doll. And Catherine seems to be having fun bugging the hell out of him.

"What's with you?" Catherine asks offhandedly, poking at the slumped form of Zechs. "You look like hell froze over."

Zechs lets out a big sigh. His problem is probably a small one, but he likes acting melodramatic. I think he's hoping some director or something will see his so-called potential and offer him a leading role in a movie. He's always been like that.

"It's a man's problem, Cathy! You can't help me!"

"Did I say I was going to?" Catherine grumbles, looking instantly bored.

Zechs rattles on, apparently oblivious to her muttering. "I have to solve this gigantic, enormous, colossal, mammoth problem all on my own! Because I…"

"You had an argument with Noin."

The simple statement has a resounding effect. I swear I can hear it echoing around us, and maybe in Zechs' head too. It's quite evident from the look on his face. Eyes wider than dishes, jaws slacker than that movie great white shark… And the air around us feels as though it just cracked. Even Quatre and Trowa seem to have felt the impact, and are looking at Zechs intently.

"You're going to make a goldfish jealous with eyes that big."

Catherine's comment has an instant thawing effect on the air around us, and Zechs shuts his jaws.

"How did you know about that?"

"Wild guess." She shrugs absently. And with a look at Zechs, she smirks smugly. "Not bad for one, since you always have loads of different problems at hand. Maybe I should buy lottery later."

I think she should. Zechs usually has a lot of problems, some are self-made like his school work, while others are just created by other people who don't like him. His ego just rubs some people the wrong way. And before meeting Noin, some were girl problems. Oh, not the 'how-do-I-get-this-girl-to-like-me' type of girl problem. It's the 'which-girl-should-I-date-this-weekend?' type. Yeah, he'd been a gigantic flirt. So yes, Zechs always has loads of problems. If Catherine is this accurate, she really should consider dumping the rest of her allowance into buying a lottery ticket.

"What happened between you and Noin?" Quatre asks softly.

We aren't very familiar with Noin, actually, even though we are on a first name basis with her. She is, after all, the girlfriend of one of our best buddies. But she usually hangs out with her own friends, and Zechs has only brought her along to our party on a few occasions. Still, from what I've gathered so far, she's quite a nice person. Very organized, intelligent and reserved. I'm still surprised by the fact that she chose to date Zechs, that big flirt.

Zechs sighs, this time not as dramatic as before. I'm starting to think that he's really upset this time.

"We had an argument."

"We know that now," Catherine notes with a roll of her eyes. "On what?"

"It's no big deal. I was just asking a classmate," he pauses, and then corrects himself, "female classmate, about some assignment we had to do. This girl's got a crush on me, so she was like, all over me. Then, Noin chose that moment to come looking for me! I tried to tell her that it wasn't my fault, but she just brushed me off."

"Let me guess. When you were asking about your assignment, you were all smiles and touchy with the girl?" Trowa says, deadpanned.

"Hey, c'mon! I was asking for a favour! What did you expect me to do?"

"Keep your hands to yourself."

Catherine and Quatre nod approvingly. I withhold the right to remain neutral. Whenever I talk to Zechs about girl stuff, not that I want to, he'd turn the tables and congratulate me about the fact that I have no girlfriends because they're so problematic. Jerk…

"Alright, I get it. So now I have to apologize to Noin?"

"Obviously!" Catherine snaps, her brows creased in irritation. "And make sure you mean it!"

"Yeah, I know…" he replies, waving the issue off. Suddenly, he looks at me and I seriously think I should just scram. But I'm too slow for that. "How are things between you and Duo? Have you ever argued? I tell ya. Don't flirt with other people or he'll catch you. It's a cosmic phenomenon, I swear…"

"Oh, don't worry about that. I wouldn't do that to Duo," I state solemnly, fully intending to keep that promise to myself. I'm an idiot if I don't see Duo as the beautiful and kind person he is and inflict harm of any sort on him. "And we've been fine."

"Really? No wonder you've been looking rather happy lately… So what have you two done lately?" Quatre asks good-naturedly. He's really curious about it, I think. And it's a nice change of topics, I must say. Quatre does this best, out of all of us.

"We had coffee together."

"That's all? Any kissing yet?"

"No! I just… took his hand." I know my face is burning up. I just know it. Why can't they stop asking about the intimate details? Next thing I know, Zechs will be recommending what brand of lube and condom to use… Crap. Don't let your mind wander off in that direction, Heero Yuy! You are /so/ not going to do anything of that sort to Duo anytime soon!

"You sure are moving slow…"

"Are you dating him? Or hanging out together?" Trowa asks, taking Quatre's hand in his gently. "Have you confessed your feelings to him yet?"

"…No?" I have a very baaad feeling about this.

"What?" Zechs yells suddenly, after a moment of silence.

The 'what' is pretty loud, and although I had sort of expected it, it still almost knocks me off my chair. Almost.

"How could you do that? If you like someone, you should confess quickly or someone else will do it first! And…"

Catherine elbows him in the ribs. "Shut up! If you're that worried about Noin, go look for her!" Then she takes another look and rolls her eyes resignedly. "Or maybe not. You'll probably make things worse now."

I blink. I'm aware that Zechs is pretty serious about Noin, having maintained a longer relationship with her than with any other girl before. But I didn't know he's this serious. Somehow, this side of him doesn't seem familiar to me.

While Catherine continues advising Zechs, and Zechs keeps being despondent, Quatre turns to me.

"Actually, Heero… I'd be surprised if you confess so soon. I mean, you're always the type who'd analyze things to death first before committing," Quatre teases gently, and I smile. "So, how's things been with you two? Do you really like him?"

I nod. "I'm happy with him. The happiness is different from what I feel when I'm with you guys. It's not just being with a friend, but something more. I… can't explain it, but I know."

"That's good enough for now. But you know, Zechs is quite right. If you like Duo -and make sure of that first- you should tell him. Because if Duo is as good as you've always told us, he should be rather popular. In that case, you'd probably have some stiff competition."

"I know," I answer solemnly, but I smile inwardly. As much as I know about Duo, he's got no boy or girlfriend now. Besides, if anyone wanted to court Duo, they'd have to get pass his brother first.

* * *

I like the garden. It's breezy. And no one is going to complain about me taking up the cafeteria space because I'm not eating. 

I'm lazing around, I know. But I really don't feel like doing any revision or anything remotely related to school. In any case, I have another session with Solo later for our write-up. Zechs and Catherine have gone off for their respective classes, and the two lovebirds are no doubt catching a few smooches in the privacy of Quatre's mansion. Or maybe even more. Only they themselves know. And a few of the servants, I guess. They /are/ the ones cleaning up the bed sheets, after all.

Sigh. I wonder when I will be able to meet Duo again. We didn't set our next date the last time we parted because we weren't too sure of our respective schedules. I am seriously tempted to call him tonight, if just to hear his voice. Actually, I'd much prefer to trek to his place and see him. But from the way my luck goes, I'll probably see his brother instead.

Removing my wallet from my pocket, I flip it open and let the picture inside stare back at me. It's the one Duo and I took together that day in the park, the one where we're standing pretty close to each other. I like it a lot, because Duo is especially attractive in this picture. I'd like to inflate my ego and say it's because of my superb photography skills, but I didn't take this photo, obviously. And I know it's Duo's natural charm. He is made to be attractive.

Even his braid seems to be screaming 'Look at me!' every time I see him.

Like now.

I blink. Is it just me, or is Duo strolling along in front of me? It's got to be him; no guy on campus has a braid that long. And beautiful, I mentally add. Quickly, I grab my backpack and run towards him.

"Duo! Duo!"

He pauses in his steps, and looks around. Then, he spots me and offers a curious little look that includes a slight widening of his violet orbs. "Heero?"

"Hi Duo!" I say, finally before him. "I was just sitting at the bench there doing my stuff when I saw you here. I almost thought I needed to check my eyes. Why are you here?"

"Because of my brother. He stuffed my school assignment into his backpack last night, so I had to come over to collect it since he won't be going home anytime soon. My teacher demands for it today, and not a day later (1)." He shrugs resignedly. "Heero?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we should move somewhere else if you want to talk. I don't think it'll be a good idea if my brother suddenly appears and sees us talking. He'd… get angry," he explains sheepishly, and with a bit of embarrassment.

Man, Duo looks good with a tinge of red in his face.

"I understand. There's this quiet place a little ways from here. I don't think he'll be able to find us there," I say, and quickly lead him there. It's where the guys and I usually hang out to talk, and recently, interrogate me about my relationship with Duo. Gee… I wonder what would they think if they know that Duo's here today? Maybe Quatre and Trowa would regret about leaving so early, and Catherine and Zechs would try to skip classes. They all want to see Duo, supposedly the 'object of my affections'. I don't like saying that, because Duo isn't an object. But hey, you just can't argue about this sort of thing with Catherine. And no, I haven't shown them any of Duo's photos apart from that 'brown spot in the corner' one. I'm not that stupid like the last time.

Duo sits down on a bench, and I take the seat opposite of his.

"I didn't know you're a student here too," he says.

"Yeah… The topic just never came up, I guess." I shrug. "So… how have things been for you? Are Mueller and Alex still making trouble for you?"

He chuckles. "Well, I've been fine. As fine as I can get since the last time we met two days ago. And no, they two of them are avoiding me now. I think they're seriously scared of you. How badly did you beat them up?"

"Erm… not too bad. Though I think Mueller wore his left arm in a sling for a while after that…" I answer, suddenly feeling a little guilty. It seems that I beat them up really bad. But then again, the two idiots didn't stop to think of the consequences of bullying my sister.

"Hm… I think I see why they're running away from me now. But well, it's a good arrangement. At least I can go to school in peace. Thanks Heero." He smiles warmly.

"You're… welcome." Actually, I'm pretty elated to know that I've helped Duo in someway. Now I know I didn't waste all that time in my karate classes. "If they bother you again, just tell me. I'll help you, no matter what."

Duo nods. "Yeah, thanks. But I don't think that'll be a problem for quite a while. Mueller and Alex are kinda cowardly, and you've just effectively scared them off."

"I did, huh?"

"Yeah."

"So…" I am /so/ stuck for a good conversational topic now. While I am glad that Duo is pretty safe from the two idiots, I'm not interested in talking about them the whole day. Especially when Duo is sitting right in front of me. Maybe I should ask for another date. Let me think… Quatre said that I should exude confidence when I'm asking, and that I should smile and be charismatic. I told him about how I tried to get Duo to agree to a date, and it turns out that he thinks it's plain luck I've succeeded. So he spent quite a while tutoring me about the subject. Let me just see how much I can remember.

"When are you free, Duo? Maybe we can go out together again…?" Very good, Heero! Quatre would be proud! At least I think I sounded confident.

Duo scrunches his brows in thought. "I think Sunday would be good. Wait… I think I have something on that day… What is it?"

I think I'm pouting inwardly. It's from disappointment, I guess. After all, I had been looking forward to a nice weekend date with Duo. And take note: 'date'. Not 'hanging out'. I was hoping to steal a few cuddles, and if possible, a little more. A small peck on the cheek would be good.

"Oh right… I promised my friend that I would help him to look for something. And Sunday's my only free day… Sorry Heero. Next week, maybe?"

"What're you looking for?" I ask. Maybe I could help. Heck, maybe I could go out with him on Sunday and look for it together. That could be a date too. Better than not seeing him for the whole weekend.

"An anime DVD. Both of us want to watch it, but he's busy with something. So I'm going to find it first, and pass it to him after watching."

"Which anime? I have a friend working at an anime rental shop. Maybe she can help."

"Really? I'm looking for a Yu Yu Hakusho movie. I've watched the series already, but I just can't seem to find the movie…"

Bingo! Although I've seldom watched anime, this is one of the few that I have. Better still, I think Hirde owns the full set of the manga and even the series on VCD. The only reason why I've watched it too is because she insisted that it was good, and that I would like it. I'm going to kiss her when I get home.

"You like Yu Yu Hakusho too?" I ask, feeling excited already by the common subject of interest.

"Yeah! You too? Cool!" Duo exclaims with a laugh. "A friend recommended it to me, and I just got hooked. There was a time where I ate, lived and breathed Yu Yu Hakusho! I've read the manga and watched the anime series, and now I really want to watch the movie. Anyway, who's your favourite character?"

"Favourite? I would say Hiei. I think he's just… cool. And I think he's not exactly as cold as he pretends to be. At least, he's protective of his sister."

"Like you, huh?" Duo teases. "Seemingly cold, but warm under that exterior. And protective of younger siblings."

"Maybe?" I shrug. People have told me that I look cold and aloof, but few have gotten the opportunity to know me better. If they have, perhaps they'd know that my interior differs greatly from my looks. So if Duo believes that, it should be a good sign. "And you? Who's your favourite?"

"Kurama (2). I like his calmness and intelligence. Lots of strategy, yeah? And I think he's got to be the only guy to carry off pink hair and still look good."

I laugh. "Yeah… No offence to you, but imagine yourself with pink hair."

"Then I should probably get a pink wardrobe so I can look like a flamingo," he sniggers, shoulders racking with soft laughter.

'Or you could just ransack Relena's wardrobe,' I muse silently. I know it ruins the mood to think of her now, but somehow, talk to me about anything pink and my brain makes the connection by itself. It's like… pink and Relena are synonymous. I look at Duo, and I can't help but smile at the image he makes.

"And you'd be the best looking flamingo out there," I say earnestly, looking into his dancing violets.

He shakes his head in faint amusement. "Oh yeah? Still, I find it hard to picture myself with a different hair colour. I can accept highlights, but I don't think I'll ever dye it. And just look at the mass of hair I have! It'll empty my wallet to dye."

I nod. "I agree. So I guess you should probably stick to chestnut hair. And well… chestnut goes well with my deep brown hair." There, I've said it. Zechs said I should try integrating slightly flirtatious remarks into my conversation with Duo sometimes. Says it would give Duo some sense of mental preparedness, when I really confess to him. But hey, he didn't tell me how to get out of the awkward situations. So here I am, looking at the slightly dazed Duo, and unsure of what to say.

Then he laughs, a little nervously if I might say. "I guess so. I mean, we'd look really strange if we were walking down the street with pink and brown hair…"

"Right. And about that DVD, I'll help you ask around. Maybe someone has a copy of it lying around somewhere…"

"Thanks, Heero."

"You're welcomed. I'll call you if I find it."

"Okay." He nods. "And Heero? It's pretty late. I should be going. I have to go back to school to submit my assignment still…"

"I'll walk you out. I still have a little time before I have to go."

* * *

I dash into the library, nearly getting a lecture from the librarian for all the noise. Luckily, I manage to scurry into the study room before he can actually confront me. 

Plopping my books and stuff onto the table, I slide into my seat. "Hi, Solo. Sorry for being a little late." When I had told Duo that I still had some time left before my project, I was talking about roughly five minutes. So sue me, but can't a guy walk his boyfriend out? Ok fine, so Duo isn't my boyfriend yet. But still…

"No problem, man! I'd just gotten here a bit earlier myself. But well, indulge my curiosity. How is it that Heero-the-ever-punctual-student arrived late," he checks his watch, "for fifteen minutes?"

"I was… erm, too engrossed in my books. Sorry."

I can tell that he doesn't really buy my story, but thankfully, he lets it slide. "It's okay. I'll have my fair share of being late anyway." He shrugs, and takes out all his notes for our project. "You know, you just missed my brother."

"Your brother?"

"Yeah, he came to visit me earlier. Had we met up like… half an hour earlier, you'd have met him. And probably be bowled over by his good looks and charming personality." He laughs.

He's being boastful, but I can actually relate to him. After all, I do that with Hirde sometimes too. I practically raised her by myself, what with my parents always abroad. So there's always this sense of pride in me when I talk to someone about her. I suppose it's just the same for Solo.

"Maybe?" I shrug good-naturedly.

"Most certainly," Solo replies proudly, and spreads out a few sheets of paper on the table neatly. "And now, the project…"

* * *

The meeting today is swift and to the point. Solo and I went through a few points about our project, and ironed out a few mistakes. We also made plans for our advertisement, which is another big issue by itself. 

But really, since Solo had pretty much taken care of nearly everything, there's not a lot I can do. In the end, we agree on letting me type out what we've already done, which is not a lot actually, because Solo's already done the budget tables and all that stuff. Still, it's enough to keep me busy for quite a while.

It's after dinner now, and I'm already done with the dirty dishes, with no help from Hirde. She's stuck to the living room couch with super glue, and a crowbar wouldn't be able pry her away from the television. Sometimes I think she worships the television set.

Thinking about the weekend, I'm pretty sure that I want to accompany Duo on his trip down to anime stores. For that to be possible though, I'd have to get to some serious typing now. Heading into my room, I switch on my computer and wait for it to load up. I turn in my seat; maybe I should call Duo now and let him know that. Then I remember someone, and I grin. She probably knows where to get the DVD Duo wants.

Picking up the phone, I dial up Dorothy's number.

Dorothy Catalonia is Relena Peacecraft's best friend, and everyone on campus knows that. They're usually together, unless Relena's in stalker mode and prowling around for me. It seems that Dorothy hates to see her friend boy-crazy, because Relena tends to be less dignified and composed. Not surprising, since Dorothy is all about level headedness. And sometimes, superiority. That kind of limits my relationship with her, since Quatre isn't all too fond of her. He thinks she's being discriminatory, but I think it's just opposing views. Still, Dorothy is a good friend to me, sometimes giving me timely warnings about Relena approaching via her cell phone. Ironically enough though, I knew her through Relena.

Ring. Ring.

"Hello? Who is it?"

"Dorothy? Is that you?"

"Heero?"

"Right."

"Is anything the matter? Need my help in dispelling Lena again?" she asks, with a slight hint of amusement.

I chuckle. I remember the last time we tried. Relena doubled up her efforts after our plans backfired. "Not her this time. Dorothy, you're working part-time in an anime rental store, aren't you?" Actually, from what I know, Dorothy's pretty rich, At least, rich enough to have no need to work now. I think she just wants to be different. Either that, or she's just being strange again.

"Not completely anime. We rent movies mostly, and some of the more popular anime. Why? Are you looking for something?"

"Yeah. I'm looking around for an anime DVD for my friend."

"Friend?" she says disbelievingly, and I can just imagine her raising a forked eyebrow. "I heard from Noin that you seem to be dating someone now. Don't worry; I'm not going to tell Lena. You're telling her yourself. Anyway, is this friend…?"

"If you're talking about Duo, then yes." I have no qualms about telling Dorothy such things, because I know she's a good keeper of such secrets. In fact, she seems to be a library of gossips and rumour running around the campus. But she never starts any, merely content on hearing about them. Gee… I like the woman. It's easy to get information from her sometimes, since she's on my side when it comes to Relena.

"That's good. I'm going to have a lot of fun watching the drama when you finally tell Relena you're dating someone that's not her," she cackles.

She's positively evil. Geez…

"So what are you looking for?"

"A Yu Yu Hakusho movie DVD."

"I'm not sure if we have that in the store, but I can check it out tomorrow. I'll call you tomorrow night to let you know."

"Thanks Dorothy."

"You're welcomed. Is there anything else?"

"No."

"I nearly forgot. Lena's been keeping to herself pretty much lately. I mean, she hasn't been going after you the past couple of days. Did you do anything?"

"No, my friend did," I answer, and go on to explain Solo's help.

"He did, huh? That's a smooth move. Tell him I said cool."

"Sure. Bye Dorothy."

"Bye Heero."

I hang up the phone. I'll call Duo tomorrow, after Dorothy's phone call. Still, I'm going out with him this weekend no matter what. Hopefully, I'll get him to feed me some chocolate again. I'm still having dreams about that, as a matter of fact.

The only downside is that Hirde keeps yelling at me for dirtying the sheets.

Oh well. It's her business. She volunteered for laundry duties.

-tbc-

(1): While this has never happened to me, it has happened to a classmate of mine. So it's actually possible, though the teacher has got to be really evil.

(2): Kurama and Hiei are characters of Yu Yu Hakusho. I don't lay claim to any of them.

Last revised 30th June


	22. Thinking it Over

Title: Thinking it over

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, Mariemaia+OC

Warnings: Duo POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I'd just implemented my latest plans, but even the giant bed and the chest of toys failed to lure any of the GW gang over. So no, I don't own any of the GW gang or the anime. Neither do I own 'Colourblind', which is Darius' song. He and his record company own it, I think.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

"That insufferable jerk! How could he do this to me?" Marie cries indignantly, and slams her fist onto the table.

The tabletop wobbles, and Sylvia cringes. Quickly, she hands a piece of tissue to Marie. Marie takes it, but instead of dabbing it at her eyes, she shreds it in anger. Almost inaudibly, Sylvia 'meeps' and hands another one to her.

For the umpteenth time, I'm grateful that we're in a quiet corner of an ice cream parlor, so we won't attract too much unwanted attention. It's not that I don't sympathize with Marie; it's just that I'm getting too used to this. It's been… what? The third time since this semester started? Marie falls in love far too easily. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just that her boyfriends fall in /and/ out of love easily.

And every time her relationships fall through, she would bawl her eyes out for a few hours, usually with both Sylvia and me looking after her. Sylvia always tries coaxing her with sweet stuff like candies or ice cream, knowing her soft spot for them. After the few hours of seemingly obligatory sobbing, she'd bounce back to normal like some resilient bug that has somehow become immune to insecticide. And she'll be convinced that she's meant to be in a better relationship. The pattern starts all over again.

She recovers quickly from heartbreaks, but I think it's just her way of coping. It's not a bad thing; it's just not necessarily good either. Which probably explains the three heartbreaks in rapid succession.

Marie blows her nose into a tissue. "He's such an asshole… He actually dumped me. Dumped me!"

Tears start gathering in her eyes again, and she holds out a hand towards Sylvia, apparently asking for more tissue. Geez… Marie sure thinks we're tissue boxes. Sylvia rummages in her bag, and looks up at me with a frown. She gently shakes her head, telling me that she's run out. I've run out too; Marie uses up tons of tissue paper when she cries. Sighing, I snatch a napkin and hand it to her. Not the best thing, but it's the only thing we've got.

"Marie, if that guy was such a jerk and asshole, shouldn't you be happy that you're not with him anymore?" I ask.

Her sobs soften considerably. I must be on the right track.

"Besides, he wasn't all that great, was he? I mean, he never took you anywhere better than Macdonald's. And he was forever in trouble with the teachers. So maybe it's better that you're not with him?"

"I guess so…"

Bingo. I'm right on mark. And actually, I know what I'm saying. That guy, David, isn't the best guy for a boyfriend. Sylvia and I had been worried for Marie when they first started dating, and in fact, I've been waiting for them to break up. It's pretty easy to tell that he isn't the right guy for Marie.

Marie takes a deep breath, and wipes away the remnant tracks of her tears. "I guess you're right, Duo. He's not right for me. I can't believe I didn't listen to you when I started to date David."

Sylvia smiles, and gently pats her on her back. "It doesn't matter now. It's over already. Now you should pull yourself together."

"Right. And I should forget that guy."

"Nah. You should remember what went wrong with this relationship. Makes sure it doesn't happen again," I say.

"Yeah…" she replies, slightly pouting. "Is it me?"

"What?"

"Why is it that none of my boyfriends actually want to stay with me? It's like… they're just playing around, and I'm only one of their… victims."

"Of course it's not that… " Sylvia tries, but I can see the deep frown and nervous smile on her face. With a sideward glance, she gives me a curt nod.

"Marie," I start, "you have to ask yourself this: are you playing around as well? Or do you give the impression you are? Are you really committed to the relationship?"

"What do you mean? That I did this to myself?" she asks, voice tinged with ire.

Sylvia looks at me, silently pleading to not make things worse.

I sigh inwardly. "Marie, I'm not implying that. I just want you to think about it. And have you ever considered the fact that you never really get upset at break ups?"

"It's just that they're not the right guy," she repeats. "And since they aren't 'the one', it's not worth my tears and time. I might as well try again."

"That's exactly my point. It's the way you treat your relationships that make them turn sour, sometimes. I admit: some of your ex-boyfriends are just fooling about. But if you think that it's not worth your tears and time, then you aren't really committed to them either. When you're in a relationship and you're serious about it… it counts as something. Something important, something you really want. Otherwise, why are you in the relationship in the first place?"

Marie looks at me, biting her lips and frowning. Sylvia offers me a smile to continue.

"And if the relationship is important to you, wouldn't you do nearly anything to maintain it? Wouldn't you fight tooth and nail to keep it working?"

"Duo's right, you know?" Sylvia turns to her, and I lean back in my chair. I'm not particularly fond of talking about serious stuff like this. "And if you really cherish the relationship, wouldn't you wait for him to turn back, even if it's just a small possibility? Because he's all you want. But the wounds will heal one day, and that's when you find yourself willing to start another serious relationship. It's not just… how do you say it?"

"It's not just 'he doesn't like me anymore, so I might as well just move on right now'," I add.

Red creeps onto her cheeks, and she looks at the both of us sheepishly. "I know that. It's just that… they… don't make me feel that way. I don't feel upset… I mean, I don't feel /that/ upset to just give up getting another boyfriend for an undeterminable time. When I'm with them, I feel happy. Just happy. There's no elation, no giddy happiness. And even then, I could have made myself believe I was happy with them. Maybe I'm not. I… don't know."

"Then perhaps you haven't met 'the one' (1) yet," Sylvia says gently. "And you just… want to meet him, too much. I think it'd be a good idea if you'd stop and think about what you're doing."

"And an even better idea would be to stop believing those romance novels you read. They're called fiction for a reason. Most of them just give you romanticized notions of what relationships are really like. Reality doesn't work that way," I say, feeling like the devil's advocate already. If there's one thing girls don't like, at least ones I know, it's to tell them that romance novels are fictional and will not happen in real life.

"There's no giddy happiness, I know. It's just something made up. But you know… I just want to believe it so I can hope for it. Must have read too many of those fairy tales when I was younger." Marie chuckles softly. She reclines in her seat, and slips a spoonful of liquid ice cream into her mouth. "It just totally sucks to be too realistic."

"Just remember: if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off," I quip, and I succeed in getting a full-blown grin from both girls.

Marie recovers from her snickering, and props her elbows on the table. "Hey. Do you two think that it's possible to find a relationship that good? Or have you ever felt the type of happiness the novels write about?"

I smile wistfully. Marie is going to need some time to really think about this. But at least, I think she knows what to think. And better still, what /not/ to believe.

"Honestly Marie, are you asking me that? You know I've never even had a boyfriend yet," Sylvia answers.

Marie blushes again, and nods sheepishly. Apparently, she'd forgotten Sylvia's childhood. With her moving around the globe like that, it was pretty difficult for her to even make friends, let alone boyfriends. Every time she'd gotten close to someone, her parents had already booked the flight to the next country where their careers brought them. Her shy personality just aggravates the problem. If it weren't for the fact that Marie and I have very charming and mostly talkative characters, Sylvia would probably have still be sitting at the lunch tables alone eating cold salad.

Suddenly, they both turn to look at me expectantly and I can't help but roll my eyes.

Crap. I hate talking about these kinda things. It always gets so awkward, and leaves me mortified without fail. Sometimes, I can feel the blush at the end of my braid. It's /that/ bad. Besides, I'm not all that proficient in relationships. With Solo around, it just doesn't seem like a possibility.

"Whether it's possible or not, I don't know. We are supposed to go find out ourselves. And about that novel thing… nah, never felt it. C'mon, Solo sorta limits my romance encounters, you know?" I say. Oh, of course they know. After all, they've been through Solo's telephone filtering before. I don't know how he does it, but at least half my dates never call up a second time. And the other half either reverts to being my normal, platonic friends, or just plain avoids me. A small percentage prevails, but most of them aren't serious about me. It's more like wanting a fling.

Duo Maxwell does not do flings. I just think it's a waste of time.

But the most interesting people are those who actually get infatuated with Solo, and they'd call back just to try and flirt with him instead. Like that blonde cheerleader a while back. Damn near had to change our telephone number before Solo went out with her. Don't know what he did, but she never called again.

And if they don't call, they actually stand a higher chance of dating me. Still, most of them aren't what I'd consider a good date. And when I was younger, Solo would actually go look for my dates and scare them away. Now that I'm older, he's become a bit more relaxed with my potential dates. Not so much intervention, but still enough to chase some away. Ah scratch that. Most. He chases most of them away.

"What about that Heero guy you've been going out with? Do you like being with him? Are you happy with him?"

I blink. I hadn't even thought about romance and him together in the same sentence. Same paragraph, maybe. But not the same sentence. I mean, we're not that close yet. Still, I think it's pretty obvious he wants us to be. He likes me, I know. And I know I like him. I'm just not sure if I like him enough to put him in a boyfriend context yet.

"Yeah. He's been a good companion." I like being with him, because all he tries to do is be nice to me while winning me over. I've had a few short-lived dates before, and Heero's a saint compared to most of them. At the very least, he doesn't try pawing me. Currently, we've only held hands, and I was kinda the one who initiated it. Even when we were in the movie theatre, which is a prime spot for some groping, he didn't even try. Maybe he'd thought about it, but well, he didn't do it. And I'm happy with him, because he makes me happy. Whenever we're out together, he always tries to cheer me up.

I like his smile.

"Then… do you think he's serious about you?" Sylvia asks quietly.

"I don't know." But it sure feels like he is. At least, he wants to see me so much he's not afraid of the ever-looming threat of Solo.

"For all we know, he could be 'the one' for you," Marie sniggers.

I shrug. "Maybe? We'll see."

* * *

"Duo! Dinner is ready!" 

Quickly, I finish up my last sentence for my essay and head out of my room. In all actuality, I'm not really keen on dinner tonight. Solo had came home early today and whipped up what he called a special dinner, something I am not entirely sure if it's going to be edible. Apparently, he saw something interesting in a recipe book earlier.

I'd rather eat take-out then what he deems 'interesting'.

There're quite a few dishes on the table; maybe it won't be too bad, with all the choices. Keeping my comment to myself, I sit at my usual spot at the table. Howie is already there, waiting eagerly to taste Solo's cooking. What can I say except that he's got strange taste buds? Shini's happily munching on his food somewhere near the dinner table, and doesn't even spare me a look when I came out of my room. That food-crazy dog!

"Get out of my way!" Solo yells from the kitchen, and quickly emerges with a big bowl of something. Putting it on the table almost hastily, he blows at his hands. "Geez! That's hot!" Grabbing a wet cloth from the table, he sits down as well. "So well, you can start eating!"

"Right…" I utter, and drink some of the tomato soup. "Hey, this isn't too bad…"

"What? Don't think so little of my culinary skills, would ya? If I just put in a little effort, I can cook a pretty decent meal!" Solo protests smugly.

"Solo, go get a few more cans of this thing the next time you go grocery shopping. I like it too," Howie says, and at Solo's raised eyebrows, adds with a smirk, "Saw the can in the sink earlier."

I look away innocently and hide a snigger behind my hand. Solo's face vaguely reminds me of a ripe tomato, and I can only imagine what he's thinking. Serves him right for bragging! Bad culinary skills actually run in our family. He can try convincing us otherwise, but I know better. Especially when it comes to sumptuous food. The last time I tried making sushi, Shini took a sniff at it and ran the other way. I think it was the raw fish.

"Yeah, go ahead and laugh. It's not like you two can do any better," Solo grouses, and I decide wisely to stuff my face. Apparently, Howie shares my sentiments.

For a while, we just eat. To my surprise, the food isn't all that bad. Most of them are actually edible, but I'm willing to bet that they're mostly canned food. It's pretty nice, having dinner like that with my family. Lately, Solo has been so busy with his schoolwork that he's hardly home for a nice meal like this one now.

"Hey, Duo. How's school lately?" he asks suddenly.

"It's just the usual fare. Homework, homework and more homework. I'd rather know what's up with your uni lately. What's been keeping you busy?"

"Well, it's basically the same as yours. Just loads of assignments and some bitchy lecturers. And there's this business project that I'm doing with a classmate. We're supposed to start up a small scale business on campus a couple weeks from now."

"That metal tags you asked about…" Howie asks, still chewing his food. Swallowing it, he continues, "Is that what you're gonna sell?"

Solo nods. "Part of it. We're also selling roses." He then springs into an elaborate explanation of their plans. I must admit; it sounds interesting, although it's a little girlish and well… The flirty ones will have another weapon added to their arsenal.

"There're just two of you tending the stall? Maybe I can go help out when I'm free," I offer.

"Yeah, you can come and help out sometimes. Besides, you can use the opportunity and take a good long walk around to familiarize yourself with the place. You might be studying there next after all," Solo says, reaching out for another spoonful of the whipped potatoes. "But that's a long way off. Our project, that is. We're still in the midst of writing our business report."

Howie shoves a mouthful of food into his mouth. Nibbling, he says, "You know, sometimes I wonder how is it that after so many years of cooking, none of us can actually cook something that is edible /and/ nice?"

"It runs in the family, Howie. I remember that mum wasn't the best of cooks either. Her meatloaves were the worst," I answer casually, reaching for another spoonful of the tomato soup. It's really nice.

"I remember her meatloaves. She used to force me to try her cooking so she could give it to her dates, and her meatloaves always gave me indigestion," Howie says with a laugh.

"This is exactly why I'm not marrying someone who can't cook. If I did, my child would be a walking disaster in the kitchen," Solo remarks, scooping another spoonful of whipped potato into his plate. He loves potato. "And that works for you too, Duo. Which reminds me… Duo, is that guy still calling you?"

"Which guy?" I ask, although I already have a sneaking suspicion.

Solo rolls his eyes, and puts down his spoon. "That guy who was hitting on you some time ago. Is he still calling? Be honest with me."

For a fleeting moment, I consider lying. But then, I think to myself, what's wrong with Heero calling me? And I definitely have the right to choose my friends and significant other. So I say, "Yeah. He's been calling. Don't worry, Solo. I'm fine! He's my friend!"

"Friend? Hmph! That's what they always tell you, and when you finally notice that they don't want to be just friends, it's already too late! And you just got to know him a while ago, right? Calling a new acquaintance so late at night? He must be up to no good."

"Stop being such a fussbudget, would you? We're friends, and I enjoy being with him. And I know what's right and wrong; I won't let him do anything funny to me, okay?" I retort, feeling bored of the argument already. God knows how many times we've argued on this issue.

Surprising, Solo shrugs and gives up. I narrow my eyes at him; this is so unlike him. Then I notice Howie's glare that is directed on him. Hey, the old guy's convinced that I should be allowed to date whoever I fancy, just as long as I keep myself safe. Still, Howie's glares usually have no effect on my big brother. His concern for me exceeds Howie's wrath.

There's something off, but I can't put my fingers on it. Oh well. I shouldn't go looking for trouble. So I just start blabbering about a recent rock music album, and the conversation sort of takes off. Solo likes rock music as much as I do, perhaps even more. He is, after all, the one to introduce me to the genre of music.

The conversation eventually spans from Howie's new mechanic who had dropped a spanner on his own foot when a pretty lady swung by, to Marie's new revelation earlier this afternoon. Shini pipes in occasionally with a bark here and there, making sure that we remember his existence and more importantly, to fill up his food bowl. We ignore him for the most part.

* * *

It's Howie's turn to do the dishes, fortunately. So I duck back into my room, and turn up the stereo. Propping myself up against the headboard with a pillow, I start on the novel a friend loaned me the other day. It's supposed to be a fantasy novel, the type I like, and I'm still waiting for the dragons to appear. I like dragons; they're really marvelous creatures. I'm halfway through the book when a familiar tune strums out. 

_(Feelin' blue, while I'm trying to forget the feeling that I miss you  
Feelin' green, when the jealousy swells and it won't go away in dreams)_

It's 'Colourblind', the song I listened with Heero that day at Sally's. Blinking at the coincidence, I lean across to my cabinet and pull out the photo album he'd given me. Heero. Come to think of it, he's a strange fellow. In all my 18 years, he's the only guy to ever stalk me on a bus. And also the only one to score 11 over 10 on the Duo Maxwell scoreboard for guys. He doesn't eat junk food, but he keeps getting this blush whenever I mention Mars bar chocolate. What does he know about it that I don't? Plus, he hasn't even tried touching me anywhere but my hands in all the weeks I've known him! Even that decent looking guy I dated a while back grabbed my waist on our second and last date. Solo caught us like that, and the rest is pretty much history.

I'm not even sure if he thinks we're dating. I don't think we are, but he might beg to differ. After all, he's been trying hard to get me out.

Actually, I'm not sure what overcame me that day at Sally's, sharing my discman with him that way. I mean, I had to sit so close to him I almost thought I was going to lean into him. I could have sat a bit further (the ear phones had a pretty long wire), I suppose, but something possessed me that time. And from the way we were sharing the toasts, I know we probably looked like a dating couple to everyone else. Any other guy dating me would have seen that as a golden opportunity to coddle or just grab me close. But Heero just sat there stock still, almost statue like. Only his arm slid down from my chair to my back for a while. I think he was plain nervous, and I decided that telling him to get his hands off was only going to make him jump off the chair. So I just let him think I didn't notice, and I must admit, it's kinda nice like that.

Marie's words from this afternoon return to me.

_"For all we know, he could be 'the one' for you." _

And my answer rings in my head.

_"Maybe? We'll see." _

I don't think I'll mind all that much if Heero is 'the one'. Maybe. It's a possibility. After all, he's really good looking. Searing blue eyes… dark brown hair… tanned skin… lean body… Yeah, I really like how he looks. Looks wise, he aces the Duo Maxwell test. Personality wise… well, we're still working on that one. Still, I'd say that he's been doing pretty well.

Suddenly, there's a knock on my door. "Duo? You busy? Can I come in? I've got something to talk to you about."

Shit! It's Solo! Quickly, I toss the photo album back into the cabinet; Solo knows better than to mess my stuff up. Grabbing the novel, I pretend to read. "Come in!"

He opens the door, and jumps onto my bed like he was freefalling. His weight makes me jump up a little, and I drop my book.

"Solo!"

He grins playfully. "What? I like your bed. It's bouncy and firm."

His words cause a twinge of guilt in me. Although our family is far from being poor, we aren't exactly very, very well off either. I'd say we're a little in the lower brackets of the middle-class family, so we're used to being a little on the frugal side. But Solo always insist on letting me have the good stuff, like this bed. His bed is pretty old, and I can already feel the springs threatening to jump out. It's pretty uncomfortable lying on that thing, much less sleep on it. But he refuses to get a new one, saying that he's already used to it. I think he just wants to save up so they can afford to send me to university.

"You can sleep here tonight if you want. We can exchange beds," I offer, though I know I'd rather spend the night on the living room couch. I hate his bed.

"Nah. You'll get aches all over if you take my bed. Besides, it's not good for your bones," he grins, and sits up. "Anyway, what were you doing?"

" Reading," I say, and pick up my book. "It's a good read. Anyway, what do you want to talk to me about?"

He nods, and gathers my thick blanket into his laps like it's a plushie. "I've got something to tell you. Firstly, it's about that guy who's been calling you."

"Again? I thought I've made it clear; he's a friend, and a very one at that. I'd like to keep him around, so stop trying to scare him off."

"A very good one?" he echoes, raising a dark brow at me. "You've been going out with him."

It's a statement, not a question. But it doesn't make a difference. Both do not bode well.

I nod. "But he's not laid a finger on me. We've just been talking."

"About?"

"Anything that comes to mind. Nothing he can blackmail me with."

Solo sighs, and crosses his arms. "Do you have to be so hostile with me being concerned? I just want the best for you. I don't want to see you get duped or hurt. You know it; I promised mum that I'd take care of you."

My brother is the travel agent for guilt trips. And every trip is so carefully planned and executed that I will 'enjoy' the most of it. Sometimes I find myself trying to look for loopholes in his promise. While it's nice to know that someone cares for me so much, it's irritating when the caring bit gets overboard.

"I know. But Solo, I'm 18. I know how to choose my friends," I say almost exasperatedly. Leaning back against the headboard, I glare at him.

"No, you're 17 technically. It's not your birthday yet. What's with kids nowadays anyway? Always claiming to be a year older when it's not even his birthday yet?" he laments, and I have to resist the urge to point out that he's not much older than me.

"And no matter what, I'm older than you, and I've met more people than you have. I've more experience," he adds, in a tone much like my own. "What have you two been doing together?"

"Just having a few cups of coffee and a movie. And no, he hasn't tried to kiss me, ok?"

"No touchy-feely?"

"No," I answer resolutely.

Solo sighs, and pulls the blanket closer to him. "Fine, I'll accept this friend for the time being. But if I find out that he's been taking advantage of you…" He trails off, but his unspoken promise is loud and clear in my mind. He has, after all, said it so many times. "At least tell me his name. The next time he calls, I want a name to go with his voice."

"No way. The last time I did, you scared Marie away. It's sheer luck that we're still friends," I grumble crossly. After I had told Solo Marie's name, he actually checked out my telephone book and called her up. I can still remember how Marie jumped when I approached her the next day to apologize. She had given me a nervous grin, and I could see her looking around like she was ready to bolt at the slightest sign of 'the guy with the scary tone' appearing.

He frowns, but I can see that he's giving up. It's almost hard to believe that he would; he's always so obstinate. I brace myself for what will no doubt come, something he thinks will make Heero's existence irrelevant.

I cock my head to one side, clutching my pillow in my arms like a protective shield.

"I'll let that slide for now. I've got something more important to talk to you about."

I'm not sure if it's his tone, or just the atmosphere, I could almost hear the 'Incoming missiles! Look out!' warning blinking inside my head. I grasp my pillow tighter against my chest. "What is it?"

"Remember me telling you about my business project? The one I'm doing with a friend?" he asks.

"Yeah… So?"

"Well, this friend… he's kinda a nice guy. Actually, I noticed him a year ago, and started to somewhat observe his behaviour. Well, I'm pretty impressed by him. He's pretty intelligent, and seemingly has no bad habits. Then, we got paired up for this project and I took the opportunity to know him better. From what I gather, he's the homey type. You know, the type that doesn't mind doing house chores, and goes home on time… He can cook too. And he doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, and doesn't go clubbing. Very polite too. You'll be healthy and safe with this guy."

I stare at my brother warily, not entirely sure if I want to know where the conversation is heading. "Just what are you driving at?"

"He's very good looking too; the type you like, as much as I can tell," he winks mischievously, and I feel my blood rushing to my face. "What's more, he seems to care a great deal for his younger sister. It logically follows that he'll be good to his significant other too."

"Solo, are you trying to…?" I ask, unwilling to believe what I've just heard. After so many years of depriving me of a romantic relationship, it sounds implausible that he'd try and introduce me someone. And just who is it to be able to pass the Solo Maxwell test? It's hard enough to get through my tests, but his? Gee, just how good is this guy?

He nods gleefully with a really wide smirk on his face. "Yeah, I am. I know you've been unhappy about me intervening your love life, so now I'm trying to compensate. Well, this guy's a catch, as far as I'm concerned. For all the time I've known him, he has not once given me a bad impression. He is very eligible, and girls flock over to him like bees to honey."

"So? What do you want me to do about it?" I grouse, getting the urge to tear something apart. Isn't this the guy who was opposing my friendship with Heero earlier? Now he's trying to get me into a relationship? Why is he always so… concerned about my love life that he feels the need to intervene in nearly every way possible? I know he has my interest at heart, but don't I have the right to choose for myself who I want to be with?

"I want you to meet him. And if possible, I want him to be your boyfriend. That way, I'll be able to rest a lot easier, knowing you're in good hands. I won't tell you his name now, or you'll be snooping around to find out who he is. Besides, you didn't tell me your new friend's name either. You'll know it when you two meet."

"Solo, I don't want to meet him. I don't need a god damned matchmaker!"

He just gives me another of his cocky grin, and stands up. "Well, give it a good thought. A guy this good doesn't come by easily, you know?"

Before I can slam my pillow in his face, he slinks out of my room like a swift-moving feline. My pillow hits the door with a dull 'thud', like the sound of my heart beating wildly against my ribcage. I'm fairly irked by his confidence, and the very idea of this. Matchmaking? No, I don't need that.

When I fall in love, it would be an act of fate. I'd meet him on my own, by a quirk of coincidence or a twist of fate. I don't ever need people introducing others to me. Especially not by the guy who has been limiting my romance all these years.

I fall back on my bed, firmly convinced that I would find love on my own. But as I look up at the stark white ceiling, I can't help but think just who the hell managed to win Solo over.

-tbc-

(1): No, I'm not talking about the Matrix. /sweatdrops/

Last revised 2nd July 2005


	23. Photo of the Day

Title: Photo of the Day

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, 5+H, 13+11

Warnings: Heero POV, humour, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: My alarm clock woke me out of this neat dream where the GW gang did indeed belong to me. Too bad… So well, I don't own the GW gang and the anime in any way. Sad, I know, but it's true.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

I wake up groggily, vaguely hearing the sound of one of the most annoying things in the world. Reaching for my nightstand, I slap my alarm clock, and it goes blissfully quiet. My hand slithers back into the blanket.

I think it's a couple of minutes later (you tend to lose track of time when you're half asleep), when something starts the shrill ringing again. Raising my hand, I smack the snooze button. My hand, once again, falls prey to the beckoning of the warm blanket.

It's a while more, and I hear something again. My hand, realizing the pattern, reaches out to the source of the sound and whacks it. However, instead of the welcoming silence, whatever I had just hit cries, "Oww!" My mind, still traipsing around the void between dreamland and awake-land, supplies me with a single fact: alarm clocks don't shout like that. It rings shrilly to get my hair on ends; it blares till I want to blast the little thing to hell and back… but I really don't think it protests to being slapped. Besides, the 'thing' doesn't feel like one. It feels more like… hmm… what's that thing called? Oh yeah, hair. It feels like hair.

That thought throws my mind into full alertness, and my eyes spring open. "Hirde?"

Just as I had expected, my sister is couching beside my bed, pouting at me and staring at me with her patented puppy eyes.

"Heero, what was that for?" she asks perplexedly, and swipes my hand off her head. "You messed up my hair!"

"Sorry…" I stifle a yawn, and get off bed. "Why are you here anyway? You're usually not up before twelve on weekends."

She pokes at my forehead haughtily. "What's wrong with sleeping until twelve? It's good for my complexion. And what's with you? The alarm clocks could be ringing their heads off and you'd still be off in laa laa land. What did you do last night?"

I can feel the sudden tingling in my bones, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I had been discovered. Then I notice the curious glance my sister's casting at me, and I realize that my secret is still safe. "Just… catching up with a little bit of reading. Nothing much." That isn't a lie in any way. Honest! The secret is in /what/ I was reading. And knowing Hirde, she's not likely to ask about that.

She nods offhandedly, and I cheer inwardly. For once I'm glad that Hirde doesn't like reading books. And to think I used to always grumble about how she didn't read. Oh well, things change.

"You haven't answered my question. Why are you in my room?"

"I want breakfast," she replies simply, and stares at me.

If I could, I'd have sweatdropped like those Japanese anime characters.

* * *

Several minutes later, my sister is sitting at the dining table like a pampered little princess (which she probably is, considering how I had brought her up, most regrettably), waiting for me to serve breakfast. I peer behind my shoulder. She's holding the cutlery in her hands, pounding them onto the table while making demands on how I cook her share. I'm seriously contemplating that I take back my earlier comments; she's not a pampered princess. She reminds me more of a /very/extremely/ pampered princess. And who should I blame? The kid who was so excited over his mother's birth of a baby sister for him to play with, or the baby girl who was just too cute for words that the kid mentioned earlier couldn't help but be nice to? Rolling my eyes, I scoop the scrambled eggs onto a dish with sausages and bacons, and place it onto the table.

She quickly latches onto it, dividing it into two equal portions before eating her share. "You know, Heero? You can just pamper me every once in a while with breakfast served in bed, instead of having me go wake you up."

"If you want breakfast in bed, you should sleep in the kitchen," I jest, meticulously cutting up my sausage. Looking up, I notice that Hirde is stuffing her face. I think she didn't even hear my comment. How can one blame me for having no sense of humour when no one pays attention when I try to exercise it? I'm hurt. "You're not that hungry, are you? What's the rush? You have something on that I don't know about?"

"Yeah. I've got a date with Wufei," she answers, sprinkling her scrambled eggs with a little pepper. Mixing it up again, she scoops some into her mouth. "Argh… too much pepper."

"Where're you going? Are you coming home for dinner?" Crap. I think I burnt my bacon.

"I don't think so. Wufei says that there's this new eatery somewhere. I think he's taking me there."

I nod. "I've noticed that you seem to be spending a lot of time outside nowadays. Have you been doing your school assignments?"

"Of course I do!"

"Good. I don't want to receive a phone call from your teacher," I reply curtly, although I know there probably won't be any. While Hirde bosses around in our apartment, she's as meek as a mouse when she's in school. I think it's an after effect of being bullied by Mueller and Alex; she just wants to blend into the background so nobody would notice her so much they'd want to pick on her. Just like a chameleon of sorts.

Now that I think about it, I can see why Hirde insists on spending a large proportion of her allowance on clothes of a large variety of colours. And I say that in a sarcastic tone, if you haven't noticed.

"And what are you doing? Laze around? You know, Heero, you should get a life. Get out more!" she says, flailing her cutlery around.

I roll my eyes inwardly. For a girl her age, Hirde sure is longwinded. I've heard this… oh, I think I lost count after the tenth time this month.

"If you haven't noticed, I have to do all the house chores and hence, there's hardly any time for me to socialize. And why is that so?" I ask, raising a knowing eyebrow at my sister who suddenly finds interest in every direction except mine. "I'm going over to Treize's place to get something, and since you're not having dinner at home, I'll probably have dinner with the guys," I say, and put my used dishes and cutlery into the sink. Turning back to Hirde, I ask innocently, "You insist on me getting a life? Well, I suppose I'll take your advice. But I won't have time to clean up, so…" I lean forward, "you're doing the dishes today."

And I stroll out of the dining area gleefully; I have to dress up for all the things I'm going to do today. But I remember to holler, "Or else I won't be cooking your share of meals for the next couple of days!" I saunter into my room to get ready, and I can no doubt imagine Hirde's cussing.

* * *

I check my watch. 11am. Just on time. So I ring the bell, and wait patiently. Quickly, I hear movements behind the mahogany door, and it swings open to reveal Treize, dressed comfortably in a shirt and a pair of three-quarters.

Seeing me, he grins. "You're fanatical about punctuality, aren't you?" he teases, and welcomes me into his apartment.

"As fanatical as you are over photography," I reply with a slight chuckle. Treize is crazy over photography, and I can attest to that. When we had first met, and I somehow casually told him about my interest in the subject, he launched into a lecture on it that lasted for the better part of an hour.

Treize's apartment is a very spacey place, his furniture arranged in such a way to make the place appear even more sparsely decorated. White and light brown serve as the main colours around the house, tastefully applied to invoke a feeling that one is at the beach. Of course, Une's gift of a couple of seashell ornaments may have something to do with that.

I glance around his house, and I see another piece of evidence for his love for the art. Photo frames capturing instances of his life encumber the tables, each more lifelike than the one before. I pick one of them up; it's a picture of Une and him, all decked out in a wedding dress and a classy tux. Both of them are smiling widely, and the glossy finish on the photo adds onto the hint of a twinkle in their eyes. No, they aren't married yet, but probably will be some time soon. They were probably trying on the new arrivals for Une's wedding dress boutique, one which Une started nearly entirely on her own. Quatre told me that she outright refused to use her father's money to fulfill her dream, which is, apparently, to own a wedding dress boutique shop filled with wedding dresses designed by herself.

"We took that one the other day, when Quatre came over with a camera. We thought it'd be fun," Treize explains when he sees what I'm holding, all the while calmly walking over to me. "Go take a seat in the living room. I'll be back with the books you want."

I nod, and throw my knapsack onto the couch. As I wait for him, I continue scanning the pictures. Actually, contrary to what my behaviour suggests, it's not my first time here. It's just that Treize has the tendency to change the photos on display every once in a while, so it's good to check out the new ones every time I come. Most of them are snapshots of his friends and himself, and some of Une. Ah, I see one of myself, with a careless arm thrown over Trowa's shoulders. Beside it is a picture of all of us: me, Trowa, Quatre, Catherine, Zechs, Une and Treize. I think it was taken that night when we were gathered at Quatre's to welcome the couple back from their holiday a while back. Looking to the other side, I spy a picture of myself, raucously drunk. It was during a small Christmas party Une held for all of us and some other friends, and we had been playing truth or dare. In conjunction with the game, we fed ourselves full with alcohol. And I was just sitting on the couch, face pretty red because I had too much to drink, flailing an empty bottle of Jack Daniels when Treize snapped the photo. It is, by far, one of the most humiliating memories I have, because, according to Catherine, I was singing the teapot song off key while trying to do the actions. Zechs recorded that, and has threatened me on many occasions to give away free duplicates.

Peering around, I slide that photo out of the frame. Damn if I'm going to let it sit there and be humiliated further than I already have.

"Heero, here are the books you wanted!" Treize calls out, carrying a few books out from his study room. He ambles to the living room couch.

I still, and put the picture back. I'll have to take it later. Hastily, I get over to the couch as well and pick up one of the books. It's a couple of books on photography, something that I want to improve on. And who's better than Treize to help me with this? "Is this it?"

He nods. "Yeah, pretty much. I figured you'd want to start from the basics, seeing that you're still pretty much an amateur. When you finish all these, you can come over and get the more advance ones."

"Thanks," I reply, and stuff a few of the thinner ones in my knapsack; I'll have to carry the heavier ones on my arms or my bag will probably be much lighter than it should be when I get home. "I've got quite a bit here; I don't think I'll be able to read the advanced ones any time soon."

He peers at the number of books he's handed me, and scrunches his brows. "Yeah, I think so too. So, have you taken any good pictures while I'm gone? Or…" he leans over, as though to whisper something of utmost secrecy, "specifically, any pictures of your crush?"

"What!" I nearly exclaim. When did Treize become so nosy about my love life? Did he catch the busybody bug from Quatre and the rest? Or maybe the over-concerned bug from Une?

"Oh please, Heero! You can't expect me to believe you that you have only that one 'brown spot' picture of your crush!" He nudges me in my arm shrewdly. "You like photography! Surely, you'd take more than just that one picture of your crush!"

"Duo."

"What?"

"His name is Duo. Stop calling him 'my crush'," I mutter, feeling strangely irked at hearing that. It's not exactly name-calling or anything insulting, but I just think it's… I don't know what to say. Duo isn't a thing; he's a person, and a very lovely one at that.

Treize chortles. "Okay! Fine, fine… I understand how you feel! Duo, is it? So… his picture?"

I look at him warily. Just what is he trying to do? He's acting like child, something that doesn't go well with his personality, usually. I mean, Treize must come from a rich family to be able to afford an apartment as wonderful as this one, and people of his class are normally aristocratic in their behaviour. But he doesn't seem to have any at this particular moment, as he's trying hard to cajole Duo's picture out of me.

"Why do you want to see it?"

"Hey, you can hardly blame me for being curious. For all the years I've known you, this is the first person you've ever really liked! And he's not even /just/ a crush! You're actually courting him!"

His tone reveals his disbelief, and while I can understand his feelings, I am still strangely irritated. Is it really that unbelievable that I'm courting someone? Did they really think I was going to remain a bachelor for all of eternity? I had known all along that the reason why I had never done that was because I hadn't met the right person yet. It was a problem of 'when', not 'if'. How little they think of me… Hmph.

"Besides, I've never heard you praise someone as highly as Duo. Looks like an angel when he smiles (1)?" He wags a knowing eyebrow at me, grinning smugly like a cat that has managed to catch the bird and polish off a few plates of cream. I swear: if he just opens his mouth now, feathers would come flying out.

"I just haven't a better word to describe Duo," I reply exasperatedly. Treize can be pretty persistent when it comes to satisfying his curiosity, as I'm starting to find out. Why doesn't anyone in the world believe the old saying that curiosity kills the cat anymore? Or maybe they believe that all cats have nine lives, so they can afford to be nosy on eight occasions. So before he can ask anymore, I relent, handing him my wallet.

He flips it open, and becomes instantly quiet. For a long while, he stares and stares at the photo I'm half worried that he'd burn a hole in it. Then again, I've got backup copies.

I wave my hand in front of him. "Hello? Anybody there? If you're out of your mind, at least let me leave a message."

Treize jumps a little, and smacks my hand away. "My god. I can't believe you never showed me his pictures…" he says, punctuating each word with a little pause.

I don't like his tone. Sounds like he's… shocked. Totally. So I decide to tiptoe my way carefully into this line of conversation. And what better thing to say than a silly one? "I did."

"Not that 'brown spot' one! I mean, a real picture where I can actually see his face!"

Okay, I just got dragged into the conversation. And I must add that I'm kicking and screaming all the way as he's dragging me. He's going to ask for something I don't like; I just know it.

"So now you've seen his picture. Stop gawking," I say, reaching out to snatch my wallet back. However, Treize is faster to pull it away, and my hand ends up clasping only air. What is wrong with all of my friends? They take a look at the photo, and they won't give it back!

He holds up his hands, gesturing for me to wait a minute. "Hold on. Just let me ask a few questions. His name is Duo right?"

I nod guardedly. "Right. And what else?"

"How old is he?"

"Why do you want to know?" I frown, feeling more than a little frustrated already. This does it. I am officially not going to let anyone lay a finger on my wallet again.

"Just tell me!"

"18! He's 18! Now give it back!" I reach out and seize the leather wallet, and to my surprise, Treize gives it back without hesitation. Or maybe I'm just too fast. But honestly, I don't care. I'm keeping it away from him.

He's got a large smirk plastered onto his face, much like a Cheshire cat smiling his trademarked Cheshire grin from ear to ear. I'm about to bark at him to stop that smirk or I'll wipe it off of him when he starts talking.

"I never knew you were the possessive type. Then again, I guess I can understand that. I mean, Duo's rather attractive. His long hair would have looked feminine on any other guy, but he certainly looks good with it. Maybe a little girlish, but still… And well, his eyes are certainly his best features. I don't think I've ever seen violet eyes before!"

I glare at him. "Treize, whatever you are thinking won't sit too well with Une."

He rolls his eyes, and sighs. But his amused grin is still stuck on his face. It seems like a permanent fixture. "Do you think so little of me? I'm halfway to the altar with Une! Besides…" he lowers his voice. "Une'll have my hide if I so much as drop a hint that I've met another!"

He's actually right. Une will not take it lying down, and any man, any /sensible/ man, would not cross her. I suspect that she's got a mild case of schizophrenia, and her other personality is pretty violent, as proven by Treize's black eye not so long ago. I don't think she's aware of it, but we all call that other side of her 'Scary Une'.

"Then what are you implying?"

He sits back, reclining against his couch. "I was hoping that you could talk to him, and get him to be my model. He's beautiful, Heero, and it is my ambition to preserve such beauty on photographs! And I know Une would be elated if he would model her new tuxedoes every once in a while. Don't worry about the money. We'll pay him a decent fee."

That sounds like a good deal. Duo would probably be a pretty good model with his incredibly good looks and his lithe body. As a photographer myself, I want to capture his radiance down on pictures too. I can understand Treize. What's more, Une is very generous with her money. It's a good opportunity.

But apparently, my mouth is staging a rebellion. "No," I say tersely, wondering to myself why in the heaven I said that. "I'm not sharing Duo."

"Heero, you can't be serious! He's stunning! You can't keep him for yourself!" Treize is getting flustered; I can tell. And he's probably right.

"I said no." I think I'm being selfish, but I really don't want other guys gaping at him like he's out for the catch. For now, before we actually hook up, I don't want to share. Not that I'd share after that, but I'll possibly be more open about this, because I can look at other guys in the eye and say 'He's mine'. And probably cackle insanely when they start weeping. Duo is doing weird things to my psyche.

"Your jealousy is acting up again," Treize states simply, and shakes his head. "Never mind, I'll ask again, when you've calmed down to really think about the offer."

However reluctantly, I nod. I know it's a good opportunity for Duo.

"Heero, you really like him a lot, hm?"

"Yeah. I never thought I'd feel like this towards someone," I utter, feeling something welling up inside me. It's a feeling that appears only when I think of Duo, whenever I see him, whenever I talk to him. And I like it.

Treize's expression turns curious, and, dare I say, cautious. "Forgive me if I'm asking too much, but just what is it that you like about Duo?"

That's really got my mind going. Why? No one has ever asked me that question. They just all know that I'm in love, and well, that's just fine and dandy. All that's left is for Heero Yuy to figure out a way to get Duo Maxwell. No one, not a single person, has ever asked me why.

"Actually… I'm not entirely sure. At first, I was attracted by his looks. Then after I got to know him better, I found that he's… so different from me. He's bright and outgoing, and I'm almost sullen. But still, I still felt attracted, despite our differences. I'm not sure how to explain this, but it's… just a feeling he gives me. It's almost like… I have wings. With him, I feel free. I forget about the house chores, about university, about… nearly everything. There's just him, and me. There is just… us," I say, my heart getting lighter with every word.

Treize gazes at me for a quiet moment. "Heero," he starts, "you're in love. Just as I had been when I first met Une. It's a good feeling; believing that there's just us, and we're both happy to be together. But… being in a love isn't a constant. It's a feeling, and feelings can go away. It fades… with time. And well, people argue, people have horrible days, and people fall in and out of love all the time. People get married because they're in love. And the same people get divorced because they didn't love each other; they were just in love. But loving someone… that won't ever change. There's a difference, and that difference will determine how your relationship will be.

"I'm not trying to boss you around and tell you who you can or should love. I just want you to think about it clearly. I've always thought of you as a younger brother; I don't ever want to see you hurt and confused by this."

* * *

I leave his place feeling more befuddled than ever. What do I feel towards Duo? In love with him, or love him? … I don't know.

Maybe I'm just in love. I mean, how can I love someone I've met not too long ago? I don't know everything about him; I don't know much about him. He's gorgeous, but I can't love someone based on his looks.

Then again, what is this feeling I have for him? This feeling of freedom, of flight? This feeling of my heart soaring, of my soul breaking free of the chains? Is it because I love him?

I write all my feelings down on a sheet of paper. No, it's not going into my confession list. At least, not yet. I vaguely recall someone telling me that it's better to jot down things that confuse me so I can get a clearer picture of it. So I'm keeping the paper until I figure out what I feel. When I finish, I carefully slot it into a small booklet like a bookmark.

I push myself away from my desk, and turn the chair around. Pictures of Duo smile back at me from the walls, each so captivating and yet so bewildering. Just what is it that I feel?

Suddenly, my cell phone, which is lying on my desk, vibrates. I pick it up; it's a message from Dorothy.

'heero, i've got the dvd you want. you can pick it up anytime you want. i'll be at work mostly in the afternoons though.'

Yes! I've found the anime DVD Duo wants! No matter how confused I am, I'm not going to let go of an opportunity to date Duo. Besides, it's for me to evaluate what I'm feeling too. The second part doesn't sound too convincing, does it?

Quickly, I pick up the phone and dial Duo's number. It's the third ring when I suddenly remember his brother might be around to pick up the phone. Gee… I hope not.

Someone picks up the phone. "Hello? Who're you looking for?"

I am so out of luck today. It's not Duo. But it doesn't sound like a young guy either. So it can't be his brother either. Could it be Duo's uncle? I should just give it a shot.

"Hello, sir. I'm looking for Duo. Is he around?"

"Oh, just wait a moment!" he replies, with more than a bit of cheeriness I might add, and hollers for Duo. Fortunately. I had been half worried that he'd hand the phone over to Duo's brother. A while later, someone picks up the phone again.

"Hello? Who is it?"

"Duo? It's me."

"Heero? What're you calling for?"

I /know/ he's smiling. I just /know/ it. "My friend just told me that she's found the DVD you want. The anime you were talking to me about the other day."

"Really? Oh wow! I thought I was going to have to walk around the whole city tomorrow just to find it! Thanks so much!"

Okay, he's /definitely/ smiling now. I can just hear it, feel it in his voice. And the thought that he's smiling for me just makes it sweeter. If Hirde was here, she'd probably complain that I'm giving her cavities. "You're welcome. So, shall I pick it up and pass it to you at Sally's tomorrow?"

"Can we meet somewhere and go collect the DVD together? I mean, I want to know where the place is so I can go there on my own the next time. And I've got to return the thing, right?"

"Of course we can go together!" Are you kidding, Duo? I get to spend more time with you, and I can hold your hand when we're walking there too. I'd love to go together. Besides, Dorothy is probably dying to see you; I'll be returning her a favour.

We talk for a while more, deciding on where to meet and the time. But we eventually hang up, and I smile. More time with Duo…

Hmm… wanting to spend time with him… is that being in love, or is that because I love him? Geez, Treize. If it weren't for the fact that I know you're concerned for me, I might be tempted to give you a punch for confusing me.

-tbc-

(1): Reference to part 14, Heero's confession to the guys.

Last revised 2nd July 2005


	24. A Quiet Date at Heero's Part 1

Title: A Quiet Date at Heero's Part 1

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I called up a lawyer and asked him if I owned GW and the characters, and he loaned me a book on copyright laws. So no, I don't own GW or the GW gang. Sad, I know, but it's true. In fact, I have to repay the overdue loan on the book and that practically empties my wallet. So there.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

"Heero!"

I turn, and see Duo running towards me. If I were a little more delusional, I'd imagine him running towards me with tears in his eyes and his arms wide open, waiting to jump into my arms like in all those mushy romance movies. But hey, this isn't Hollywood, so I'd settle for him trying to catch his breath beside me now.

"Duo? What's the rush?" I ask, gently patting him on his back.

"I thought I was late! You've been waiting very long?"

"No. I just arrived too," I reply, although according to my watch, I've been standing here for a full fifteen minutes. Oh well. My watch can be a pretty unreliable thing sometimes.

"That's good."

"Right. Erm, you wanna go now?"

"Sure! Lead the way!"

I nod, and take his hand in mine. It's a ritual now; whenever Duo and I are walking together, we'd hold hands. To this very day, I still thank my lucky stars for Duo getting that summer job. I think Duo may just be humouring me, but I'd rather think positive.

So I clasp his hand tighter, and try my best to be a good tour guide. I think Duo's never been to this part of the city before, since we're both living on the other side. But since my sister is a big anime fan who hates traveling, I get stuck with the job of coming over here where Dorothy works to get her anime DVDs. My sister is just too domineering, and I am just too compliant. Anyway, I relate the tale to Duo, and he breaks out in chuckles at my bossy sis.

"Really? Hmm, you don't look like the type of guy who'd be bullied. Then again," he pauses, "you're probably like my brother; always giving in to your younger sibling."

I nod vigorously, relieved that Duo had covered up for my faux pas. What is wrong with me anyway? Why do I keep saying all these embarrassing things in front of the person I like? I should really think over what I say at least three times before letting it slip out. It'd save me a lot of embarrassment.

"Heero? Are we getting there yet? The sky looks dark. I think it's going to rain."

"Right… Erm, it's just around the corner. I've called my friend, so we can just ask her for it when we get there."

"Thanks, Heero. You know, I was pretty resigned to combing the city for the DVD until you called me. You're such a big help."

A smile breaks out on my face, and I hold his hand tighter. "You're welcome, Duo. And well, if you need help again, just tell me. I'd always help you."

He cocks his head at me with a grin. "Really? Even if I say that I'm going to rob the bank?"

I pause in my steps, and turn towards him. Our eyes meet and lock, each flashing the other with a smug smirk. "Well, tell me which bank, and I'd do the planning for you," I say, flicking his forehead with a finger lightly. He looks at me, his expression part amused and part surprised. That's good, because I plan on surprising him for quite a while to come. After all, that's part and parcel of being in a relationship. Yeah, I know; it's not official yet, but just indulge me. "But honestly, if I can afford it, I'll buy whatever you want instead. Robbing a bank can be tedious work; I'd rather let you lay back and relax."

Now he's really surprised. But I just act nonchalant, grab his hand again, and continue to amble down the street. It's really nice, to be out with Duo. Especially when I'm not all that nervous anymore, and I'm not saying all those weird things. That Hirde thing is an accident; it just slipped out of its own accord, regardless of the fact that my mind didn't give it the green lights. Well, I guess reading up does help. I just hope Hirde won't ever find those books, or she'd yammer all day about her pathetic brother who's desperate enough to consult books about relationships.

It's not like I sourced them out on purpose. I was just strolling about town, minding my own business, when I saw this quaint bookstore having a little sale. So I walked in, thinking that maybe, I'd find something interesting. That's when I saw these nifty books on display. And my wallet was just a tad full that day, since I'd just visited the bank. So I thought I'd let my wallet go on a little diet and bought a couple of the books home. I'm starting to think they're well worth the investment.

* * *

Soon, we reach the rental shop, just in time to avoid the light drizzle, and Duo bursts in excitedly. The door gives a tiny ring of a bell when we go in, and alerts Dorothy to our presence. She looks up from the counter she's sitting behind and upon seeing me, offers a lopsided grin. Setting her cool azure eyes at us that seem somewhat bleak, Dorothy looks pretty intimidating for a girl her size. But that's just the way she is: always looking tough. Her family values of never backing down from a fight must have made her like this. Sweeping her platinum locks behind her shoulders, she stands up.

"Hello, Heero," she greets curtly. Looking at Duo, she cocks her head at him. "And this is?"

"Hello, Dorothy," I return. "This is Duo. He's the one looking for the DVD. You got it now?"

"Of course." Turning to the shelves behind her, she slides a box out and hands it to me.

"Thanks."

Duo takes the opportunity and introduces himself. "Hi, I'm Duo. Thanks for your help, Miss… erm…"

"Dorothy," she offers, smiling coolly. Even though it does not look like it, I can tell that she's interested in Duo already, from the way she's looking at him. I'm not worried though; Duo's not her type that way.

"Right. Thanks, Dorothy. I'm so glad to find this now. I've wanted to watch it for ages!" He grins widely much like the Cheshire cat, and I hand him the thing. He takes a look at it, and confirms that it's the one he wants. The three of us chat for a while, until Duo wanders off to the shelves of anime movies. I swear he nearly leapt up and cheered when Dorothy told him that the store had quite a fair bit of popular anime stuff lying around.

My eyes follow him until he disappears behind the shelves; I wanted to go with him, but Dorothy pulled my sleeve and asked me explicitly to stay. So logically, I turn to her with a questioning look, which she answers with another knowing smirk.

"What?" I demand, feeling my face burn under her stare. I have not only admitted to her that I like Duo and I'm currently trying to win him over, I think I'm being rather blatant about that now. I bet she can just tell from the way I behave around him. She's perceptive like that.

"He's pretty cute."

I smirk, feeling somewhat smug and pleased. "Yeah."

"Told him yet?"

"About what?"

"That you like him," she replies austerely, apparently taking delight in teasing me. It seems to be a trend now, what with at least half of the people I know doing that to me every now and then. "A lot," she adds, quirking an eyebrow at me, "judging from the dreamy look you have now."

If I were a girl, I would not hesitate to say that I pouted. But I'm a guy, and guys don't pout, no matter the circumstances. Well, unless you're a blonde and your name starts with Q. "I don't do dreamy looks. I'm just… intoxicated."

"On him? Wow, the breweries would be losing mega bucks if everyone were like you," Dorothy pokes a slender finger at my shoulder. As always, her nails are short and polished; from what I heard, she plays the piano and myriad of other musical instruments. Yet another sign of her family wealth. Why she would choose to work at a place like this befuddles me to this day.

I shoot her an arrogant look. "If that was the case, the breweries don't need to worry. I will be the only one drunk on him."

She laughs. "Is that so? Well then, I wish you luck. I think you two will look good together. Well, good enough to give poor o' Lena a cardiac arrest at least."

The words that I wanted to say in reply are cut short by Duo's reappearance. He bounds over to the counter, holding a few other DVD boxes, and asks Dorothy if he can borrow all of those. She agrees, and quickly records them down. As she's busy typing the titles down into the computer (I swear everything is computerized nowadays), a rumble of the skies signal the weather condition for the next few hours. I glance outside, and frown when I notice the drizzle minutes ago has become a light shower. I didn't bring an umbrella, and I don't think Duo could fit one into his small pouch either. My inner self growls; now I'm going to get stuck here with Duo with no chance of any snuggling because Dorothy is here and she has a business to run.

I'm already humming the tune of 'Rain, rain go away' in my mind when Dorothy grins at me. Again, the psychic girl knows what I'm thinking.

She fishes around under the counter, and hands a small umbrella to me. "Here, take it. The rain doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon, and I have to stay here for the entire afternoon anyway."

Duo frowns. "Are you sure? We're not rushing to go off."

I give Dorothy a look, a pleading one I might add, from behind Duo. That smug smirk which has been on her face for the past few minutes becomes wider. I'm starting to think that she's going to pull a muscle if she doesn't give her cheeks a rest soon.

"Of course I'm sure. Don't waste your time here with me. I'm sure you two could be off having a good time," she winks, and I feel my face burn… again. Gosh! Is everything I'm thinking of stamped on my forehead in neon colours? Stealing a sideward glance at Duo, I notice his flushed cheeks and I smile goofily to myself. At least I know Duo is thinking of the same things that constitute 'a good time'.

"Why don't you two go over to Heero's place and watch the DVDs? It's pretty close, and it's troublesome to be traveling around with the rain anyway," Dorothy suggests, casting me a secretive leer. I am /so/ going to find a way to thank her properly.

Duo thinks about it for a moment; man, he looks positively adorable tilting his head like that. "Yeah, I guess that'd be good. I mean… your place is closer than mine. So, what do you say?" He turns to me.

Whether he's aware that he has this puppy look in his eyes, and that he's turning them on me at full force, doesn't really matter. It's such a small favour. How can I deny him? Besides, this little favour works totally in my favour. Hirde is not going to be home anytime soon, so it'd be just Duo and me alone together. Oh, the possibilities…

So we leave Dorothy's rental store with the little umbrella and Duo's DVDs, intent on getting to my place to catch some movies. Standing under the little shelter just outside, I open the umbrella, and promptly roll my eyes. I think Dorothy either planned this, or is playing a belated April Fools' joke on us; the umbrella is really rather little. We're going to get wet, fall sick, and stay home for the next couple of days. Or maybe I'll get lucky, and get to dry Duo up at my place later.

Still, at least this thing is blue. I'd rather get drenched than borrow Relena's.

"Um, ready to go?" I ask lightly.

He takes a look at the only thing we have that can get us out of here and he frowns. "The umbrella is really… small."

"Yeah… but I don't think Dorothy has another one. Unless you want to stay here?" Oh no, please don't say yes! Please! Please! Please!

"Not really…" he answers, and I do a mental victory dance. "Maybe we could just… I don't know, stand closer?"

It's cliché, but his reply sorta lights up a light bulb in me. "We can just… sort of, wrap our arms around each other to, you know, stand close together?" I suggest meekly, hoping that he won't think I'm trying to take advantage of him or anything. But well, I must admit; it /is/ my ulterior motive.

He blushes, and I panic. Crap! Did I say that last part aloud? I thought I didn't! But he nods after a while, and I know he didn't hear what I said, if I had said it out loud in the first place that is.

"Yeah, I guess that's the best idea," he says, and moves towards me. Standing beside me, he leans closer and slowly, wraps his arm around my waist.

Go ahead and laugh, but I nearly jumped out of my skin to feel that contact. I can feel my inner self, cheering wildly and throwing streamers and coloured rice around. Gently, I gather him close.

"Ready?" I whisper.

He nods, and we start ambling down the streets. Before, on our previous dates, we had only held hands and I was already pretty elated by that. Now I actually have my arm around him! And I didn't actually initiate it or anything! I think that guy at the cinema is right; things will progress by themselves. And it's progressing fairly nice, I tell myself. Let's see if I can get a bit more at my place.

It's getting pretty chilly now, and I can feel Duo shivering slightly under my arm. Pursing my lips, I tighten my arms. "We'll be there soon."

"Okay," he nods slightly, and chuckles. "Maybe we should move faster. If my brother happens to be around here and he sees us, he is /so/ going to freak out."

"He comes around here?" Oh, this is not good. It's going to be harder to get Duo over here frequently then.

"Sometimes. Well, he likes walking about the neighbourhood," he replies, turning to me. However, at that exact moment, I slip slightly before regaining my foothold, effectively getting so close to his warmth that I can feel his breath. Honestly, I'm beginning to love clichés. You know, when a soon-to-be couple is standing really close, and one of them turns, it ends up as a kiss? Yeah, this is the type I like a lot. It's probably because right now, Duo's lips are pressed against my cheek, and I can feel the soft pressure and the heatedness of my skin there.

Time stills for a moment, and the kiss continues, or it could be my ego speaking. Anyway, Duo jumps away, out of the umbrella's shelter, and I quickly grab him back. I don't want him getting wet; he could fall sick and it'd all be my fault. "Careful! You could fall." I admonish lightly.

He avoids my eyes, and mutters a soft 'Sorry'. I just smile, and tell him that it's okay. Well, I kept the 'perfectly' out to keep his suspicions at bay, but I think it's pretty obvious already. If he doesn't at least suspect my feelings for him by now, he'd have to be really dense. Dense as in light will bend around him. Yeah, it's that bad. At least, that's what Quatre and Catherine have been telling me.

But still, I don't intend on confessing to him anytime soon. I mean, I want to make sure about my own feelings first. I thought I had them all straightened out; Duo's beautiful, he's smart, he's got a great personality, a gorgeous smile and pretty much what I want in my significant other. But Treize just threw me in a loop with his oh, so wise aphorism. I know he means well, but it gets pretty exasperating when I start to get confused if I'm in love with Duo, or if I love him. There's a difference between them, something that I didn't know about until he told me, and it's driving me absolutely crazy.

Anyway, we reach the bus stop in record time, probably because I'm enjoying his arm around me so much. Well, when I said 'record time', I meant that we took at least twenty minutes to get here rather than the ten minutes it usually takes. The bus arrives on time, and we reach my apartment fairly quickly.

-tbc-

Last revised 2nd July 2005


	25. A Quiet Date at Heero's Part 2

Title: A Quiet Date at Heero's part 2

Series: Seventh Heaven

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Heero POV, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Disclaimer: I called up a lawyer and asked him if I owned GW and the characters, and he loaned me a book on copyright laws. So no, I don't own GW or the GW gang. Sad, I know, but it's true. In fact, I have to repay the overdue loan on the book and that practically empties my wallet. So there.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

I scrutinize the two fluffy towels in my hands. Eventually, I put the red one back into the closet and head out of my room with the purple one. It reminds me of Duo's eyes. Carefully, I lock up my room.

It's not that I don't want to let Duo get in there, cause well, Trowa's told me that a bedroom's one of the best places to store up a few kisses. He says that the bed gives the place a special atmosphere. So yeah, I'd love it if Duo goes in. However, there are some things I'd much prefer he doesn't see now. Like his pictures stuck all over the walls and the photo frames. Like my confession list lying on my desk. Like the books I'm reading now.

I'd probably scare him off. So currently, my bedroom is a big no-no.

Duo hears my approaching footsteps, and he turns to me on the living room couch. "Heero, you've got such a cool place! I mean, oh my god. Just look at the television set! It's huge! And the stereo system! And your couch!" he exclaims animatedly, almost jumping out of his seat. The tension of our kiss has mostly dissipated, luckily.

My inner self congratulates me profusely for my good taste. I thank him back.

"Well, if you like it, you can come over here as much as you like." I hope he picks up my hint.

He flashes me a wide grin, and nods. I think he might have gotten part of it.

"C'mon, dry yourself. It wouldn't do if you were to get sick because of the rain," I say, and toss him the purple towel. As I had expected, the colour suits him impeccably. He catches it with a quick swipe, and mutters a 'thanks'. Watching him towel himself is like watching a kitten licking itself clean; it's cute as hell, and I wonder if I can rush into my room to grab my camera. But I'll probably not make it in time to take the picture. All thanks to Hirde, my newest camera is safely stowed away under lock and key. I've got to think of a better way to take Duo's pictures…

"Heero? Shall we watch the movie now? I can't wait to enjoy your stereos."

Yeah, and I can't wait to enjoy a nice movie at home with you, Duo. So suppressing my excitement which would have made me skip around in elation, I quickly gather up some snacks, start up the DVD, and slide into the couch beside Duo. The rain is still pouring outside, bringing down the room temperature so much so that even I'm feeling the frostiness. Sitting close together will keep us warmer, or so my inner self tells me. Gee, he's been appearing so much lately I ought to give him a name.

Suddenly, I feel Duo's lithe form quivering against me. "Are you still cold?"

He chuckles sheepishly. "My brother always said that I would freeze if I stood next to an open refrigerator."

"Do you want a jacket? Or we could… erm, just sit closer," I suggest, although I'm really against the former. It would just put a damper on my plans to cuddle close.

"Yeah, and maybe you could just hold me close and keep me warm!" he teases gently, and my heart skips a beat.

Putting my arm around his shoulder, I pull him against me. "Why not?" I shoot back, reeling in the slight blush on his face.

At that moment, the opening theme of the movie blares through the speakers. I turn back to the screen; if he feels uncomfortable, he can just slip out of my hold. I'm not holding him particularly tight anyway. And if he likes the way my arm feels around him, we can just watch the movie like this. I'm giving him the choice, but I don't want to see it. I think I'll beat myself up for moving too fast if he pushes me away. However, my worries seem unwarranted, and I eventually feel him leaning lightly against me, our sides pressed together.

My mind promptly blots out the movie.

* * *

Two hours later, I turn off the DVD player with the remote controller, and slump back into the couch.

Duo slowly wriggles free of my embrace, and asks cheekily, "So, how was it?"

The words slip out of my mouth before I can filter it for any inappropriate content. "Wonderful. Lovely. Amazing." How can it not be, getting so close with him?

Duo regards me with an amused look, and I start to think if I had said anything wrong. But I really can't figure out where's the mistake. I mean, it's a really fantastic feeling to hug him and have him pressed against my body. Does he not like it?

Then he snickers, and nudges my shoulder gently. "I was talking about the movie. What in the world were you thinking of?"

Oh. Crap. This is embarrassing. And the worst thing? Duo has this knowing look on his face, and he's still snickering away. No, I have to think of a way to turn the situation around! I have to appear suave and confident no matter what happens. Think, Heero! Think!

"You, of course," I plaster on my most poised look, and grace him a small curl of my lips. Yes, Heero! Turn this conversation to your favour! "What else did you think I was talking about?"

His snickering stops immediately, and he gapes at me. Even so, he still looks adorable.

"Erm… well… I…"

"Yes?" Call me evil, but I just can't stop myself from teasing him. He always blushes when he's embarrassed.

"…So, what do you think of the movie?" he asks suddenly, and if I might say so, nervously.

Well, I'll take pity on him this time. "It was… nice." Honestly, I wasn't paying that much attention to what was happening on the screen. I was thinking more along the lines of how incredibly cozy and warm this was, catching a show with Duo at home. It's definitely better than at the cinema. And feeling him snuggle against me as the rain outside kept pouring down in torrents, it's hard to concentrate on anything not pertaining to Duo. Well, of course, Treize's advice is doing a great job of creating a ruckus inside my mind too.

He mumbles something inaudible and nods, keeping his head low all the time. For a while, we just sit there, not doing anything else. He seems to have found something of interest on my couch, and I just gaze at him. Suddenly, I feel the urge to gather him in my arms again. Rather than discuss this with my inner voice, I give in immediately.

His body stiffens initially, but I can feel his arms around me hugging tighter slowly. Carefully, I stroke his back, and he sighs into my chest. I don't know why, but something tells me that this is the perfect time to confess.

Just as I'm about to tell him, a shrill sound blares out and the moment is shattered. Duo, as though woken from his trance, quickly springs away from me. I fall back as well, surprised at what I had almost done. Didn't I just say I'm going to take this slow? Didn't I just promise myself that I'm going to be certain of my feelings first, before I do confess? Still, it feels so good to have him in my arms…

Duo fishes around in his pouch, and takes out his cell phone. "Hello? …Oh, I'm outside obviously… Nothing, just went to an anime rental shop… Yeah, I got the DVD. Erm, no. It's still raining heavily… I didn't bring an umbrella. Yeah… Okay. Bye."

"Who was it?" I ask.

"Erm, my brother. He asked me to go home for dinner."

"Oh. But Duo, it's still raining! You'll get wet!"

"Yeah. Can I stay here for a little while more? Just until the rain stops."

Fine, I'll admit that I'm pretty hypocritical sometimes. I know I said that I want to take our relationship slow so we can really build it up on a solid foundation, which logically suggests that I should just stop flirting or trying to hug him again. So in turn, I should just let him go when he wants to. But the other side of me, the illogical side, begs to differ.

"Why don't you just have dinner with me? My sister won't be home so soon tonight, so it's just me, eating alone…" I start, gesticulating wildly. I'm flustered, that much I admit; and Duo is just standing there, staring at me in an unsettling manner, his brows knitted tightly together.

"Erm, if you want, we could watch the other anime DVDs you just borrowed as we eat dinner. You like my stereo system, don't you?"

He's still gazing straight at me, and suddenly, he frowns. For a while, I think he's going to decline my invitation. A part of me, the part that is still trying to get me to move along slowly, is content. But the other part of me is terribly disappointed, and I can just picture myself standing at the top of a really tall mountain, all perspiring and thirsty. And then, my bottle of mineral water –my ONLY bottle- gleefully rolls down the mountain. Yeah, and I can only look on in despair, reaching out a hand, and yelling, "NOOOOO!"

Then Duo grins cheekily. "So what's for dinner?"

A grin tugs at my lips.

* * *

"Duo, be careful of your hands! Look out for the knife!" I nearly shout, already regretting my decision in letting him help out in the kitchen. Right now, he's cutting up the vegetables, and my heart stills with every chop he makes. I don't know how to describe it, but it's like… he's seeking revenge on the poor green… I'm not entirely sure if I want to call it vegetables anymore.

"Don't fuss, Heero! I'll be fine!" He throws me a wink behind his back, and goes back to the chopping board.

If I can actually not worry about him, I'd be insane. Still, I try to focus on frying the fish. For all the time I've known Duo, I think this is one of the first… well, flaw is such a strong word… imperfection? I've always thought Duo to be… perfect. But obviously, I've been mistaken. Still, it's cute to see him flustered about something. And nobody's perfect. So what if Duo can't cook? I can, and this makes up for his inability to. Alright, I'm being sappy again. So sue me.

"Okay, I'm done!" Duo chirps, and brings the basket of chopped vegetables over to me. It doesn't look as bad as I thought it'd be.

"Thanks."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Not really. Why don't you sit down and take a rest? I'll be ready in a minute."

He pouts. Man, he must be the only guy apart from Quatre who can carry off a pout and still look cute. If I lean in now and kiss him, will he punch me? Hmm, might be interesting to try out.

"But Heero, I've been such a bother! Making you ask around for my DVD, then coming over to your place to watch the movie, and now you're making dinner for me! Just let me do something to help!"

Bother? Oh, I'd love it if you would visit my place everyday and just stay with me. Not a bother. Not at all. Besides, if that's a bother, what is Hirde?

"You've already made the table and cut up the vegetables. That's enough for a guest, Duo. Besides," I scoop up the fish and deposit it on a clean plate, "I'm done. All that's left is giving the vegetables a quick stir-fry."

"Well… Okay then, I'll take the food out and wait for you. And be quick! I can't wait to eat all these!" he laughs, and goes into the dining room with some dishes.

Trust me, Duo. I can't wait either.

* * *

"So, how is it? Do you like it?" I ask nervously.

Duo swallows a large bite of the fish, and licks his chops. He nods enthusiastically. "It's fantastic! I haven't had such wonderful Chinese food in a very long time! Heero, you're such a great cook!"

Zechs is right: get to Duo's heart through his stomach! I'll have to invite him over more often to try out my cooking, then. It's tiring to cook, standing in front of the stove for hours sweating like a hog, but hey, it's one of the things I can really do well in. I love it when people praise my culinary skills. Still, I've got to remember to stock up the groceries tomorrow. All these were supposed to be tomorrow night's dinner, but well…

"How did you learn to cook Chinese food?" Duo asks in between mouthfuls of rice.

"Read them in recipe books, and I just tried them out. It's not all that difficult once you get the hang of it," I reply, picking up a small bit of the fish with my chopsticks.

"Really? Well, that certainly doesn't apply to me! I can't cook for the life of me! And in fact, that seems to apply to my whole family too… And how do you use those chopsticks?"

"Practice," I smirk, reminded of the time when Zechs was so fed up about using them that he started to stab at his food. "If you want, I could teach you when we have the time." And my cooperative mind feeds me with an image of me teaching Duo, holding his hands and leaning close. I quickly stuff a slice of chicken into my mouth.

"Sure!"

Oh, Duo… please don't supply me with more images of that… Chopsticks! Pick up that damn fish! Pick it up! Don't let it keep slipping! You have to flip it over so I can eat the other side of the fish!

"You know, could I… just come over again some time soon?"

My pair of chopsticks goes out of orbit, out of my influence, and falls onto the table with a dead 'plonk'. Duo sniggers, and promptly flips the fish over with his fork and spoon.

"I was thinking that maybe you could teach me how to cook. It's just that… my whole family really sucks when it comes to working in the kitchen. And I'm kinda sick of canned food and instant noodles…"

I find myself nodding faster than I can register the action. "Sure! I'd be glad to!" And then my mind picks up what Duo said before that. "You mean, you do housework at home?"

"Yeah. We divide it among the three of us, and take turns to cook. But honestly, none of us can cook anything decent! Especially my uncle. His stew is the worst. And there was once I swear his beef stew tasted like glue. After that, my brother and I take turns to test it first to see if it's actually edible," -he chuckles- "Is it very strange that I do housework? I'm sure you do it too."

"Right, I have to. My sister does only the laundry, and I have to do everything else. I don't like the idea of letting someone else come in and tidy up the house for us, so I don't hire maids or anything," I answer, "And it's not that I find it strange or weird. It's just that I didn't picture you as the type who'd do housework."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I nearly choke again at what I had implied when I said that. Stupid mouth… can't you do an auto-filter or something like that before actually saying something? Then I look at Duo's sassy grin, and I know that he's not offended at all. More like… like he's amused. So I decide to amuse him right back again.

"You just look like someone who should be pampered."

"Oh?" His expression turns even more playful. "How so?"

"It's the way you look, and the air of grace you exude."

"Really? And… who'd do that?"

"Me."

Yes! Got him right there again! But he regains his composure fairly quickly this time, and flashes his pearly whites at me.

"If you think you can."

"I'm sure I can find some way to."

We look across the table at each other, feeling the air around us turning light. And my heart feels lighter than air at his acceptance. This is the closest I'll get to a real confession of my feelings for him in some time to come.

* * *

I pull Duo to me, and carefully wrap my jacket around his shoulders. "It's cold out there. This should keep you warm."

He blinks at first, and then nods. "Thanks, Heero."

"Are you sure you don't want me to send you home? It's no trouble, you know? Besides, it's late already. What if Alex and Mueller come again?"

"They wouldn't dare. You scared them off the last time, remember? And my brother's at home now. He'll get a fit if he sees you."

I cringe at the thought. Even though I'm an able-bodied young man who practices karate, the thought of an angry, protective brother is still scary. After all, I know what a brother can and will do to protect his younger sibling, being one myself.

"Then, call me when you get home?"

"Alright. Don't worry, Heero! I'll be fine," he laughs, "And Heero? I'm leaving the YYH DVD here with you. You can watch it again; I'm pretty sure you didn't really catch much when we watched it earlier. And we can meet another day so you can pass it to me."

At least I have the decency to blush a little, but I perk up at the idea of meeting Duo again soon.

"Well, I'll be going now. Thanks for the really great day, Heero. It's been fun," he says, and jumps down the slightly elevated threshold of my apartment. Just before he heads for the elevators, he turns around and gives me a heartfelt smile. "I nearly forgot." And he leans into me to press his lips against my cheeks. Both sides.

"Thanks," he mumbles, and runs off.

I think I'm still in shock when I slowly raise a hand to touch where he had kissed me. It's just a chaste gesture, probably just to thank me for the meal and companionship, but my face still feels like it's on fire. And I don't ever want anything to put out the fire.

Screw you, Treize. I'm happy, Duo's happy (I think), and we're happy to be together. Who needs to get bothered about the difference between 'in love' and 'love'? At least, not now. Not when I'm wallowing in this newfound joy that is Duo.

-tbc-

Last revised 2nd July


	26. Reminiscing Part 1

Title: Reminiscing Part 1

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 2+1, Mariemaia+OC

Warnings: Duo POV, OC, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Amy Mizuno's Little Gundam Wing Page

White Destiny's Feathers

Disclaimer: I tried sending a letter to Santa and ask him for Duo, but that letter bounced. Apparently, Santa is hooked on email nowadays, and has cut off his postal service. So no, I do not own GW. I do own this little piece of fiction though.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

I poke at my salad, and the tomato slices slip deeper into the pile of vegetables. Almost resignedly, I pick up a cabbage leaf and stuff it into my mouth. Eww… I hate salad. The only redeeming point it has is the salad dressing, which I think, defeats the whole purpose of eating a salad. People just come up with strange inventions everyday.

I force myself to chew the thing lest I choke, and I swallow. The after taste is horrible. But looking at the expectant girl sitting across me, I guess I have no choice but to finish this whole damn bowl. But… Couldn't the manufacturers just make smaller bowls?

"How is it?"

All damn salads taste the same to me, and my taste buds revolt aggressively against such things. But who am I to put down a girl's enthusiasm for the first edible thing she's made? So I keep a straight face and say, "Fine, I guess."

"I knew it! I just knew you'd like it!" Marie exclaims in a happy squeak, clapping her hands. "I'll make potato salad for you tomorrow! Oh, you're gonna like that one, I assure ya!"

As she continues to blabber, I silently moan for help. Like I said, I hate salad. After a slimy slug slithered out from under a large cabbage leaf from my salad when I was just a kid, I've completely sworn it off. In fact, I avoided all forms of vegetables for weeks after the incident and it took me quite a while to even stab at a leaf with my fork.

'Why me? Why is it always me?'

My silent question is answered by Sylvia's look of pity, which I have a hunch means, 'If not you, then who?'

Couldn't it be the girls? Any girls? Don't they always claim that they want to lose weight? This is the perfect opportunity to start! I peer around. Aha! There's Wendy! I stare at her, willing for her to come over to gorge the salad for me. But she cringes, gives me an apologetic smile, and quickly scampers off. Well, I can't blame her. She got indigestion after sampling Marie's cookies the last time; she'd have to be a dud if she comes over voluntarily now.

"Duo, why are you peering around? Is someone here?" Marie asks quizzically.

I quickly shake my head. "No, just looking around. I thought I saw Ruby."

Fortunately, she accepts my explanation. "Hey, you want me to teach you how to make this salad? God knows how you can't cook. You could make one for Heero, and then he'll be like… Whoa! Over the clouds!" she laughs, and Sylvia giggles.

For all the things I could do, my cheeks warm up. I honestly don't know what came over me the other day when I leaned in to kiss him on his cheeks. Two kisses, in fact. Or maybe three, although that one was an accident. Either that, or Heero made it seem like one with good effort. I had been embarrassed to high heaven after that, but he just pulled me right back into his arms so I wouldn't get wet. It was so awkward I felt like digging a hole and poking my head inside it like an ostrich. But somehow, the feelings just dissipated in his arms. It actually felt safe with him holding me like that. Safe, and… very warm.

"Hellooo? Anybody in there?"

I jump at the sudden intrusion of a waving hand in front of my eyes. "What?"

Marie leers at me. "Just what did you and Heero do anyway? You were totally off for like… a whole minute!"

Sylvia stifles a laugh in my general direction, and adds, "What were you thinking of?"

I bite my lips. "I think… we're dating."

"Isn't that what you two have been doing lately?"

"Well… at first, I thought we were just hanging out like friends do. And we sorta were. I mean, we just went out together, had fun…" I say, my mind thinking about the first few times Heero took me out. It wasn't anything special. Just… two friends having a day out together.

"No hanky panky?" Marie asks curiously.

"Of course not!"

"So you mean there was some during your last date?"

Marie's giving me that expectant look now. How can I resist it? "Yeah. Just a little," I reply, lips curling at that thought. "It was raining, so the weather was kinda cold. He just pulled me close to keep me warm."

"And?"

"I kissed him goodnight," I answer, feeling strangely smug about it.

"Oh my god…!" Marie whispers disbelievingly, shaking her head. "And what was he like? Did he taste nice? And did he kiss you back?"

"On the cheeks, Marie. I kissed him on the cheeks! And no, he didn't kiss me back. But honestly, I think he was a little too shocked to react. After I kissed him, he just stared at me like… like he didn't believe it!" But there was something in his eyes that told me that he liked it, and that he wanted more. In fact, now that I think about it, it was in his eyes the whole time we were together that day. A little… hungry, and predatory. Like he had been thinking of how to steal a kiss from me, or how to get his arms around me. The shower that day just provided him with a wonderful opportunity, and I stayed in his arms for the whole trip to his apartment. He didn't let go during the movie too. But actually, I didn't mind; it was the first time I felt protected with someone.

Heero's a great guy. He must be the only person who hasn't tried to grope me on our first date. And I'm kinda amazed that it took him so long to pull a move on me. Even though it's just a hug.

"So he's your boyfriend now?" Sylvia's quiet inquiry breaks me out of my reverie.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe? Heero hasn't said anything about wanting to be my boyfriend."

Marie pouts cutely, and crosses her arms. "I think it's pretty obvious that he wants to be. Didn't you say that he came up to on you on the bus, the first time you two met? If he didn't want to befriend you, there's no reason why he would do that."

Hmm, it sounds perfectly plausible. Besides, I don't think anyone would be this nice to just anybody else. And the things he's done for me… some of them just screams that he likes me… that way. "I guess so."

"What're you going to do about it?" Sylvia gazes at me, head leaning towards one side.

"I don't know. I think I'll just let things take me along, wherever they're going. And besides, I don't think there's a lot I can do. If I really decide to, you know… Solo might notice. And then he'll be out for Heero's blood," I sigh. Sometimes that brother of mine is really too much.

The girls nod, cringing. Both of them have been Solo's victims, so they understand what I mean perfectly well.

"Talking about Solo… he's been trying to hook me up with one of his classmates lately. He won't take to me having a boyfriend now very well."

"Ah, that's too bad then," Marie shrugs. "Heero probably won't stand a chance against that guy your brother wants to pair you up with. If anyone can get under your brother's skin, he's got to be really, really, really good."

"I think so too," Sylvia chuckles, her face torn between looking completely amused and very nervous. "Then maybe you'll have two guys after you at the same time."

I flick her forehead. "Yeah right. There's no way I'm gonna let that unknown guy get me. Solo's standards are strange, I tell you."

Sylvia rubs her forehead, still sniggering. "He's your brother."

"And now, you're the only one who's still single, Sylvia! Want me to introduce someone to you?" Marie offers, her eyes taking on a twinkle that indicates only mischief. I swear that the girl just enjoys torturing Sylvia and I with tales of her dates. That, or she's the matchmaker from hell.

"Oh no, thank you. I don't want the guys you're having," she laughs. Then she turns sober a little, and laments, "But you're right. I'm the only one without any romantic encounters now."

I nudge her shoulders. "Yours will come soon enough, I'm sure."

"How do you know?"

"Just a feeling."

"You're overly optimistic, Duo," she teases.

"That's what everyone always tells me. It's a knack."

* * *

I dash for my locker. I can just knock my head against the concrete wall for being so forgetful. It's time for Mr. Gray's class, and I'm rushing to get my books only now. He's going to kill me! And as I run, my head supplies me with this weird image of me sprinting in the Olympics. I could just hold out my arms like I'm reaching the finishing line when I see the rows of locker around the corner.

'The first runner is coming in! Yes! It's Duo Maxwell in lane 2!' The guy with the microphone announces, and I feel the push of the finishing tape on my chest. My fan club runs up to me, holding bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolates, and the accolades and congrats come flying at me. Then the streamers start popping.

When I finally get to my locker, none of those happen of course. I'm just being weird again. Anyway, while I'm not expecting to find fans or whatnot there, I'm also not expecting to find someone loitering there. Crap. Of all the times he has to taunt me, he has to do it now? When I'm rushing for my classes? Jerk. Well, I hope Heero's threat is still holding up.

"Alex?" I try, keeping a good safe distance from the blonde bully.

At the call of his name, he turns around and sees me. Then, he starts panicking! Full-blown panicking, I say. And I mean it. He jumps, starts stammering, and turns tail to run away. It was like he was a deer in headlights! For a moment, I just look behind me. No, no one's there. So that means that /I/ scared him away. What the-? I didn't sprout horns or anything, did I?

However, the shrill call of the bell suddenly reminds me that I have a class to go to, and I quickly fling open my locker, grab my book, slam it so hard I think it's ringing, and continue my one hundred meters mad dash for class. I can't help but think that athletes have it better than I do.

* * *

"Hey, Sylvia?"

She blinks. "Yes, Duo?"

It's after the class (which I got to on time, thank goodness!), and we're both going to our next class, which is literature. Marie is… somewhere else. Probably sticking to Jason, that guy whom I quote from Marie, 'is such a stud!' Currently, she's in disbelief that she had never noticed him before, so she's trying to make up for that. I swear that she doesn't ever remember my advice about relationships.

"You know I was at my locker earlier to get my books?" I start, and continue when she nods, "I saw Alex hanging around your locker. But he ran away when I called him. I can't believe it. He actually ran away at the sight of me! Am I that ugly?"

"Really? He did that?" she exclaims, eyes widening. Raising a hand to her mouth just the way a lady would do, she frowns. "What's he doing there?"

I shrug, giving her a frown in return. Having Alex harassing you is one thing. Having that jerk loitering around your stuff is another. The latter has never happened to me, and I hope it never will. It's bad enough that he and Mueller take a liking to picking on me. I don't even want to know what they might do to my stuff. Might be gruesome.

"No idea. I was hoping you'd know."

She gives it a thought, looking away. Then she gasps, like realization just dawned on her. "Well… it might have something do with me helping him out with some of his subjects."

I pause in my steps, and nearly drop my book bag. "What? You're doing what?"

I'm suddenly aware that many of my classmates have stopped their conversations, and are staring at Sylvia and me funny. Sylvia flushes evidently, and quickly pushes me along.

"I didn't tell you? Mrs. Stiles assigned me to help Alex out with his subjects. It's our last year here, and the exams are coming, and apparently, his results aren't exactly up to par. So I'm supposed to help him," she explains, tugging at her books that were threatening to fall. "If it helps, Mrs. Stiles wanted to assign you to help Mueller. I talked her out of it though."

I feel like I've been punched in my head, and I haven't fully regained consciousness yet. "Are you kidding? You never told me about this!"

"It must have slipped my mind then," she murmurs thoughtfully, "But then again, you've been busy with Heero!"

"Hey!" I pout, hoping that my cheeks aren't warming up. Ever since I've told them about me kissing Heero this morning, the two of them have been teasing me about it all day long. Will they ever stop?

Sylvia giggles softly. "We started about a week ago, and everything's going well. Alex hasn't bullied me or anything, if that's what you're worried about. In fact, he's been quite the nice student."

"If it isn't for the fact that you're the one who's telling me this, I'll only believe it when pigs are in the air! Alex and nice don't quite go together, in my opinion," I reply haughtily. Excuse me, but I've never liked the guy ever since he tugged on my hair, claiming that it was a dog leash.

She furrows her brows in a laughing manner, and agrees wholeheartedly. As much as I can tell, that is.

"That's what I thought before too. But I guess we have to give him a second chance. He hasn't been bothering you either, has he?"

I consider that for a moment. Indeed, Alex hasn't harassed me in quite a while. In fact, I hadn't seen him within a ten-meter radius of me for at least a couple of weeks until this morning. "But that's because Heero scared him away. I've told you how Heero beat them up before, haven't I?" Of course I have. With that busybody Marie always yapping at my ear to juice me for my latest date with Heero, how can they not know what's been going on with us two?

Sylvia nods in understanding. "I know. But well… we'll see how it goes with Alex. It's not like I can back out of it now. I did promise Mrs. Stiles, you know?"

"Fine. If he tries to pull anything funny, just come to Marie and me. If we're lucky, Marie will yell his ears off before I need to step in." And I quickly dodge the punch coming my way from a certain redhead who has suddenly come into the hearing range of our conversation. She's fiery that way.

-tbc-

Last revised 2nd July


	27. Reminiscing Part 2

Title: Reminiscing Part 2

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 2+1, Mariemaia+OC

Warnings: Duo POV, OC, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)  
Amy Mizuno's Little Gundam Wing Page

Disclaimer: I tried sending a letter to Santa and ask him for Duo, but that letter bounced. Apparently, Santa is hooked on email nowadays, and has cut off his postal service. So no, I do not own GW. I do own this little piece of fiction though.

Note: Direct sequel to 'Reminiscing Part 1'.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

School is over faster than I think possible. I wave Sylvia goodbye as she goes back to her apartment on a bus. Marie is… somewhere still hanging all over Jason, I suppose. I can almost see the pink hearts fluttering around her, and maybe Jason too. I'm not too sure how he feels about this whole situation. Who knows? Maybe he's elated.

Anyway, as I was saying, school is over, and I find myself in the school volleyball court playing a game with the guys. Nah, I'm not on the school team. Not good enough. Still, I do play it for recreation sometimes.

"Mine!" I yell, and dive for the ball. With a bit of effort, I succeed at digging the ball back into the air and I quickly get away from it. Someone else will have to spike it over. Damn! I hate receiving Ronan's serves! They're always so painful on my hands, and I have to rub at my abused wrists for a moment before I feel the blood circulating again. Fine, I'm exaggerating, but I have good reason to.

Jerry gets under the ball, volleys it high up and in a really great position. Otto quickly gets over to the ball, leaping up and spiking it hard over the net. It's difficult to deny that Otto's a good volleyball player, especially when it comes to spikes. They're tough, strong, and generally difficult to save.

The other team struggles with it for a while, until a newcomer hits it too hard and the ball goes out of court. I grin, and Jerry hi-fives me.

"Service over!" he yells. The newcomer, whose name still eludes me, grabs the ball and throws it over.

Our team rotates our position and Andy takes the ball. With a strong hit, the ball flies over the net like an eagle swooping down to catch its prey. And the accuracy and deadliness of an eagle is not something to be ignored, I suppose. Pete lunges forward, his hands already in position for a dig. However, he misses it by an inch and the ball slams into the ground. The loud 'thud' resounds, but our cheers drown it out.

"Yeah! We've won!" Jerry shouts while running around excitedly. Heh, he's always like that. So easily excited and prone to doing some really stupid things. Like the victory dance he's doing now. It's tough to describe how he's doing it, but take my word for it: it's dumb. Even dumber than that chicken dance Andy's doing now.

I steadily retreat away from him lest he grabs me to be his dance partner. He's already gotten Andy. Laughing at their antics, I head for the benches. I need to sit down anyway.

Otto jogs up to me and flops down on the seat beside mine.

"Great game, wasn't it?" he asks, wrapping his towel around his neck.

I nod. "Yeah. It's really nice to have a game like this every once in a while."

"Why don't you join the school team?"

"Now?" I gawk at him. "Are you kidding? We're graduating soon already! Besides, I'm not all that good at this," I answer with a shrug. Ever since my first game with these guys, Otto's been after me to join the team. He's the captain, yeah? But really, I'm not that interested and I'm not that skillful with volleyball.

He rolls his eyes. "You always say that. You aren't that bad either. At least, you're better than Tony. He still can't manage a good serve." Otto gives that guy a sharp nod, telling me who is it. I take a peek; it's that newcomer. And he's still struggling with the ball, now that Ronan is trying to have a practice session with him. From the way he handles the ball, novice is a good word for him.

"Hey, cut that guy some slack. He's new on the team, isn't he? He'll learn."

"Hopefully," Otto replies dryly.

Have I mentioned how demanding Otto is? That's probably one of the reasons why I've never bothered to sign up with the team, instead choosing to play it for recreation only.

Jerry bounces over to us, adrenaline still rushing through his veins, apparently. Or it could be the doughnuts he ate earlier. I resist the urge to stand up and yell 'Sugar high!' and run away from my friend.

"Hey guys! What're you doing, sitting down? C'mon! Let's play another game!"

Otto groans. "Aw man, you're shitting me! I'm tired already!"

"If he'd shitted on you, you wouldn't smell half as good as you do now," I quip flippantly, much to Otto's amusement and Jerry's annoyance. But maybe that isn't the best idea I've had: Jerry's shooting me this 'you're gonna get it' look, and I wince inwardly.

He glares at me with mock irritation marring his face, and he crosses his arms. "And you don't smell very good after a volley ball game either, Duo. Maybe you should get your boyfriend to buy you some perfume."

Okay, that is one thing I never expected him to say. How in the world did he know about Heero? And much less my relationship with him? Then I slap myself mentally. Jerry knows Marie, the biggest gossipmonger around me who has the tendency to say more than she needs to. Vaguely, I wonder how many people know about this.

"What's his name? Hero?" Otto asks, and his question cements my urge to go throttle Marie sometime soon.

"No, Heero. It's with a double 'e'. Don't mispronounce it; Duo will get angry. Won't he?" Jerry sighs sympathetically, patting my head as though I were some puppy.

If I were one, I'd bite his fingers.

"I don't wear perfume! It's cologne! Guys wear cologne!" I reply indignantly. "And Heero's not my boyfriend!" Well, not yet anyway.

"Not yet!" Otto and Jerry chorus in a singsong manner. Then they look at each other, almost surprised. "This must be the first time we're so on key with each other!"

As they laugh, I feel the beginnings on a headache coming. Yet, despite the embarrassment, everything actually feels pretty… nice. I'd always wondered when I'd get teased for my romantic encounters (which aren't many, thanks to my favourite brother), and the fact that the other person is Heero just makes it all sweeter.

"Look! He's smiling! Aww… how can you have naughty thoughts about your would-be boyfriend now?" Jerry sighs dramatically, feigning a swoon.

I can't help the blush creeping onto my face. "I'm not!"

"What? What's going on here? What did we miss?" Andy and Pete ask, joining forces to dump me with loads of questions.

As Jerry and Otto fill them in, I activate Duo stealth mode and inch my way out.

* * *

I'm just about to leave the school compound when someone stops me.

"Hey Duo!"

I turn and wince. It's Andy. No doubt he's gonna try and milk more information on my love life. Just how does Marie do it? How in the world did she manage to get everyone I know so interested in my romantic encounter?

"Hi, Andy," I reply tentatively.

"You going home?" At my nod, he continues, "Me too. We go in the same direction, don't we? Let's go!"

Things aren't as bad as I assumed earlier. That is, until he starts talking about the subject again. The subject, as in the one and only in capitals.

"Tony's gonna be heartbroken, you know?"

I blink. Is he saying what I think he's saying?

Andy turns to me. "I think he's got a crush on you, but hey, everyone knows about you and Hero now."

"Heero," I correct, pouting.

"So Jerry's right about you getting mad if we mispronounce his name." He sniggers. "But well, Tony will get over it once he goes for his first volleyball tournament. The game's addictive, I tell you. And when he meets Walker's team, he's going to practice everyday and he won't even have the time to think much about anything else. It happens every time."

I blink again. " Walker who?"

Andy fixes me with a stunned look. He looks like a gaping fish. Ah, scratch that. Make that a gaping goldfish. His eyes are big enough.

"What?"

"You're joking, aren't you? How can a volleyball player not know who Walker is?"

I sigh. "Look, if I was joking, I would say, 'What would you do to an elephant with three balls (1)?' Besides, I'm only playing volleyball for recreation. It's not like I go out of my way to check out all the volleyball players in this world. Who is he anyway?"

Andy ignores my crude comments, luckily. Otherwise, there'd be no end to this conversation.

"Oh, he's one of the best volleyball players I've seen. Of our age, I mean. Met him once in a volleyball competition that I joined with a couple of friends outside. And we got thrashed so badly by his team. Still, I'm awed by his skills. He's really good," he answers, and says that Walker is from some junior college in another city.

I blink. I recognize that name and college. " Leon? You mean Leon Walker (2)?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah. He was my childhood friend. We used to go to school together. But then I moved here, and we sorta drifted apart. Still, he's told me which junior college he's in now and that he plays volleyball. But I don't ever recall him telling me that he's this good at it," I tell him, still mulling over the facts. All that is true. I'm still in contact with Leon via emails and the really occasional phone calls, but we mainly talk about small things. Nothing as big as him being such a good volleyball player, at least.

"Cool. If you ever arrange to meet him again, let me come along. Maybe we can arrange another match between us."

I agree half-heartedly. It's been quite a while since I've seen Leon. In fact, I think the last time I've seen him is years ago. A little upsetting, now that I think of it. We used to be such good buddies, always looking out for each other. I sigh, and head for a bus stop.

However, before I go, Andy pulls me to one side and asks, "Anyway, what /do/ you do with an elephant with three balls?"

If I could sweatdrop, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

* * *

Grabbing my towel from the towel rack, I rub my hair dry. It's a nuisance, sometimes. With hair this long, I'll be lucky if it gets dry under an hour. Not likely, I think to myself as I grab another towel, dumping the wet one back onto the rack. Many times, I'm pretty tempted to cut it off and feel the cool wind on my nape again. And maybe I'll shed some grams or even kilos on the weighing scale. Then I think of my mother, and how I used to play with her chestnut hair, and I'll drop the idea. Lately though, I think of someone else apart from mum.

And who else but Heero has this effect on me now? I still remember the outburst he had the day when I suggested cutting my hair. Maybe he's got a hair fetish. Picking up a small bunch of my hair, I wonder how it would feel when Heero runs his fingers through them. And then I blush at the thought. If he runs his fingers through my hair, not when/If!

I miss him already.

Picking up my hairbrush, I brush out the tangles in a rhythmic motion and the hairbrush slides through easily. Thank god for extra-strong conditioner. Keeping my towel wrapped around my shoulders, I wander out of my bedroom. I've already finished my schoolwork for the day, and I'm not in the mood to revise anything now. It's been a tiring day, and I just want to take a short break. My first thought is to go raid the fridge and watch television. But I don't think there's anything worth watching now. Spying the computer in Solo's room, I decide to check my mailbox instead.

The computer loads quickly, and I find myself logged on to the Internet in minutes.

"Hmm… Spam, spam, spam and more spam. Is there /anything/ that's from someone I know in here?" I mumble, feeling slightly irked by the flood of junk mail already. Then my eyes fall on one of the names and the subject matter. " Leon? Coming over? Leon is coming over to this city?"

Talk about coincidence.

Shrugging, I click on it.

_Hey Duo! It's been a long while since I've received an email from you. You've been busy? Probably, since you're graduating from junior college soon. Not that I'm not, but I'm never that good at my studies anyway. Maybe I'll just find a job after graduation. Anyway, just writing to tell you something really important. My family is moving over to your city really soon because of my dad's job, so we can meet again! Actually, I've known about it for quite a while, but I haven't told you since it wasn't confirmed until a week ago. Not sure about our new address yet, but I'll tell you as soon as I can. Anyway, I still have your address, so it probably won't be difficult for me to look for you. _

_Now we're busy packing, so this computer will probably be stowed away pretty soon too. Still, reply if you can. Just don't be surprised if I don't reply as fast. _

_Well, see you soon! And say 'hello' to Solo for me too! I miss you guys! _

_Leon_

Just as I'm musing over the turn of events, someone taps my shoulders suddenly. Startled, I let out an embarrassing cry and whirl around.

"Solo, you nearly took ten years off my life," I grumble while glaring daggers at my brother.

He smirks unrepentantly. "Relax, kid! I didn't even try to scare you this time," he laughs. Pointing at the computer screen, he asks, "What's that you're reading?"

"It's Leon. His family is moving over here."

Solo blinks for a moment, then cheers and flops onto his bed. "Alright! It's been what? Seven years since we've seen him?" he says, absently counting the number of years.

I nod. And we remain silent for a while, each reminiscing the old memories.

Solo breaks the silence. "It'll feel strange to see him again."

Although I don't say it out loud, I feel the same way. After all, it brings back a lot of memories. We were the best of friends, but also the most ardent competitors. We competed with each other in a lot of things. Like… our academic results (I used to always win this one)… our achievements… the number of girls who had a crush on us… and even who got to school first. Though we had to stop the last one after he had a near miss with a traffic accident. I remember our parents giving us the scolding of our lives after that, but we winked at each other playfully, and everything felt okay again.

Yeah, back then, mum and dad were still alive. And they looked after Leon like he was their son as well. His parents did likewise for Solo and me.

Solo and Leon were pretty good friends too, as much as I can recall. We were neighbours, after all, and we used to run in and out of each other's house like it was ours. I still remember the occasions the three of us hid under the covers together when Leon's dad scared us with his numerous ghastly tales.

It felt as though that life was meant to be that way. Everything was in perfect order, and I thought we would always be like that.

But well, I'm not the one who wrote the scripts. So this really bad car crash happened, and mum and dad just… died. It was raining, and I guess they were rushing home because it was my birthday, and it just… happened. Solo and I were taken over to our only uncle, Howie, who lived in another city. We barely had time to give Leon our new address.

"When is he coming?"

Solo's question is so sudden I nearly miss it. "Huh?"

He props himself on his hands, and asks again, "When is Leon's family coming over?"

Good question. I scan through the email again. "He didn't say exactly when. Just said it was 'soon'."

"Well then… I suppose he's got our address? He can come find us then, when he arrives," he notes casually.

"Yeah," I answer. Then I notice Solo's giving me that 'look' again, and I narrow my eyes. "What is it? You didn't come looking for me just to know what I'm doing, did you?"

I swear he never looks contrite, and I vaguely wonder if he actually feels it. He just plasters that confident grin of his onto his face, and stares at me harder.

"Can't I be curious as to what my little brother is doing? But really, I must admit that I do have another, more important reason why I'm here," -he sits up on his bed- "Well, I just want to know if you're free next Friday night?"

"I think so. Why?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to take you out for dinner. Stumbled upon this really nice eatery the other day, and the food there is fantastic. So I was thinking that maybe you'll want to go there too."

That can't be all there is to it. Solo is nice to me, that much I admit. But I don't see any reason why it has to on Friday night. Surely, he's planning something. And I'm not sure if I actually want to be part of it. But then something hits me.

"For my birthday?"

"If you want to. But the main reason is because there's supposed to be a special something on the menu that night."

"Oh."

"Well," he starts, getting off the bed and heading for the door, "just keep your schedule free for that night. And shut down the computer. It's dinnertime already. Let's go help Howie in the kitchen."

I stare at his retreating back for a while more, and head out for dinner as well after switching off the computer. Howie is burning dinner, and Solo is trying to make it edible again. Shini is just barking, probably asking why no one has fed him yet.

I just can't help but smile at them. While mum and dad aren't with us anymore, I still have Solo, Howie and Shini with me. And of course, Heero. Maybe that's enough already.

A smile lit up my face again when I gather a lock of my hair between my fingers and imagine Heero playing with it.

-tbc-

(1): Sorry, just couldn't help it. Heard this one from a movie.

(2): I'm not sure if Walker has a first name or not. Just made it up.

Last revised 2nd July 2005


	28. Aftermath of a Kiss

Title: Aftermath of a Kiss

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, 6+9

Warnings: Heero POV, OC, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Amy Mizuno's Little Gundam Wing Page

Disclaimer: Santa came along on Christmas, but he told me that his supply of the GW boys had run out by the time he came to my place and that I would have to wait for another year. So no, I don't own the GW boys. I own this ficcy though.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

I think I could have given the Easter Bunny a run for its money with the way I was jumping around. It was like I had suddenly become a five year old with too much energy to spare. Scratch that. I was frolicking like that forever bouncing tiger in Winnie the Pooh. And I didn't have that wretched and grouchy rabbit coming after me.

What I do have is one wide-eyed Trowa following me in the corridor of our university campus.

"Are you absolutely sure you're alright?" he asks for the umpteenth time. Oh, I've long lost count. Not that I actually kept tabs on that.

"I'm 120 perfectly alright, Trowa. In fact, nothing can faze me now."

He raises an eyebrow, and gives me another quick once-over. I don't know if he meant to do it, but I have a feeling that he is only one step away from knocking me senseless and dragging me to the nearest hospital. Or maybe even the mental hospital. I'm not sure.

Not that I can actually blame him. I don't think I've been so… ecstatic about anything in a very long time. Ecstatic enough that I was still grinning from ear to ear when Catherine came up to me and confessed that she had lost my favourite book. And according to the bookstores she had gone to in order to look for another copy, the book was already out of print.

"Not even our big project that's coming up?"

"Project? Which one?"

If Trowa was shocked earlier by my bizarre behavior, he is completely freaked out by now. Freaked out in a way that I would have been if his bangs suddenly defied gravity and pointed upwards. Maybe it's possible… with all that hair gel he applies to his hair to keep it slick.

He peers at me through narrowed eyes. "The one Smith assigned us. That big, big business project? Does it ring a bell?"

"Oh, you mean that one," I reply. "Actually, Solo and I have already secured deals for our goods. Somehow, Solo managed to help us get a couple of discounts so we still have quite a bit of funds left for advertising. I'm designing some posters and pamphlets right now, and Solo's gotten the student council's permission for a joint advertising…"

"Wait a minute. You mentioned the student council. How in the world did you manage to get their permission? The president of the council is a complete asshole."

"You mean William? I think Solo knows him. I'm not too sure about the details though," I answer with a careless shrug. Somehow, I think Solo knows nearly everyone in this school and maybe more. How he manages to keep up with all the relationships is beyond my comprehension. Like I said, I'm not really that much of a people person. "What about your project? You're doing it with that… blonde girl, aren't you? Erm… Jenny, is it?"

He actually sighs. Deeply. "Jennifer. But she insists I call her Jen or Jennie," Trowa winces at that, "and she won't respond to me if I call her Jennifer. Every time we meet up for the project, it's like working with a leech. She keeps grabbing onto me like some octopus that escaped from a local sushi bar. But her mind is like some non-stick frying pan. I keep telling her that I'm gay and I have a boyfriend, but she never listens."

Inwardly, I heave a huge sigh of relief. If I had just taken the seat beside her that day, I might actually have a Relena the second stalking me. I'm going to have to thank Solo properly for saving me.

"Have you ever tried bringing Quatre along?" Oh, the little blonde would show that Jennifer just what it means to be a boyfriend. Their confrontation would be likely to escalate to resemble some wrestling match, or if Quatre didn't cut his nails that day, a cat fight. He's possessive that way.

"Quatre's partner, Jeff, is Jennifer's twin brother. So every time I have to meet up with Jennifer, Jeff will call Quatre to meet up too. I swear they plan it," Trowa says with a roll of his eyes. Adjusting his book bag behind him and the reference books in his arms, he looks at me. "So… what is it that's making you so elated? Relena's finally given up on you?"

"Is that even remotely possible? I'm already prepared to give out a cash reward to anyone that manages to get her off me," I say, still walking towards one of the campus' many cafeterias for lunch. "It's something even better."

Trowa smirks. "Duo confessed his undying love for you?"

Oh, how I wish that were true. Sometimes, this step-by-step method of courting him is too slow for my tastes. It'd be really wonderful if Duo were to come up to me and show me /his/ confession list.

"Not quite. But he kissed me the other day."

I swear the following events happen in slow motion. Trowa drops his books. And by some strange twist of fate (or should I say just desserts?), the lighter ones fall to his side and the heaviest one, which is a good 500 pages, ends its one-meter fall by landing on his foot.

"OW!"

He quickly bends down to nurse his abused foot, shoving that huge tome aside.

"Oh my god… it feels like I dropped some lead on my foot. What is that book made of anyway?" he grumbles as I help pick up his stuff.

"Paper. Lots of paper. Why are you so shocked anyway?"

Trowa shoots me a look of pure disbelief. "You expect me to not be surprised at all when you tell me that Duo kissed you? You? Mr. I-don't-know-naught-about-romantic-relationships? Trust me. If Quatre learns about this, he'll throw you a party."

I don't know if I should be insulted; it's not a big deal. Duo just kissed me twice on my cheeks. It's just kissing. And it's not even on my lips. …Okay, so it's a big deal. I mean, this is like another milestone of our relationship. And maybe for our next date, I can kiss him on the cheeks instead. So I've established that this is a big deal. But this big? Big enough for forever cool Trowa Barton to drop his books on his foot?

I think I /am/ insulted.

* * *

Lunch is a fairly mundane thing nowadays. In fact, it got boring after we all agreed that the food here is horrible. The good ones are tasteless. The bad ones are… well, I haven't got a word for it. Or maybe I have. Triple-ble: terrible, indigestible and inedible. 

But it's the worst on Tuesdays because Catherine and Quatre don't have the same lunch break as the three of us. Trowa is not that much of a talker, and Zechs is still depressed over Noin. So lunch today is boring.

I look at Trowa doing a sculpture with his spaghetti (hey, is that a super-deformed replica of Venus de Milo?), and then at Zechs stabbing at his meatballs like they're enemies.

I turn back to my own lunch.

Suddenly, a ring tone blares out and Zechs immediately takes out his new cell phone, the one that can do MMS and take photographs and all that. The way he's prepared to answer his phone… it's like he knows someone will be calling him. Probably he's waiting for a call from Noin. After a little fumbling, he successfully sees what's on his screen and he lets out this… weirdest sounding… moan.

Trowa snatches the cell phone out of Zechs' lax grip, and I lean over to catch a glimpse of what's on the screen. Seeing it, I chuckle nervously and raise an eyebrow at Trowa. He just blinks, peeking at Zechs all the while like he's afraid he'd suddenly explode. And we both know that he will, in his so very distinctive way.

"Relax, Zechs. Take… take a deep breath."

"In case you're wondering, that guy with his arm around Noin is her classmate," Zechs points out almost too cheerily to be true. "And yes, we still haven't made up yet."

I hold up a hand. "No Zechs… Calm down."

"Noin's refused to pick up my calls, and she avoids me like I'm a new version of the Bubonic Plague. So no, I'm not surprised that she's turned chummy to her male classmates. No. I'm not surprised at all."

"Zechs," Trowa puts a hand on his shoulder, "calm down. Noin's just… angry. She'll get over it in a while."

"I'm okay, guys! Stop looking at me like I'm going to bolt and gut the guy! Or strangle him, or decapitate him…" Zechs counts off his fingers. Then he pushes against the table and stands up. "I've got something I absolutely have to do right now. Go on and enjoy your lunch."

He's gone before Trowa and I can try to hold him down.

"Hey, Heero?"

"What?"

"You know this guy?"

"No. You?"

"Not a clue."

"So that means he's got no one to tell him about Zechs running down the corridor and hunting him down."

"Poor thing. Do you think the ambulance can come over and be on standby in the car park?"

"You can try calling," I suggest as I give him a shrug.

He doesn't seem convinced.

* * *

After knowing Zechs for so many years, I've come to the conclusion that while he's brash, he's not stupid. So I seriously doubt that he'd actually kill the other guy. Maybe just one or two missing front teeth, but that's it. Besides, Noin should have already warned him about her currently estranged boyfriend so he'd be on the lookout for a flash of golden hair. 

Therefore, with all these in mind, Trowa and I decide to mind our own business. It's never a good idea to get meddled with Zechs' affairs. The last time Quatre tried, he nearly got decked, and he would have been if Trowa hadn't been there. Catherine is strangely immune though. Probably because she can and will punch the lights out of Zechs in order to get some sense inside. Quatre is just too nice for that.

Still, I don't know if it's fate or just coincidence, I actually see Noin at the bus station when I'm going home. Geez… I hate the person writing the script for my life.

"Noin?"

She turns around. "Oh, hi Heero. Going home?"

"Yeah. You too?"

She nods. "I've got a few reports to write up."

"Oh." Why doesn't anyone write a book on how to talk to your friend's girlfriend when they're not on good terms currently? And if there is such a book, why doesn't anyone ever refer me to it? This is the reason why Quatre says I'm too blunt sometimes.

"Maybe you haven't heard… but Zechs' really upset about you getting mad at him. Can't you just… talk to him? You know, just smooth things over?" My inner self sighs at my pathetic attempt.

Noin smirks. "So I've heard. Some of my friends have told me that Zechs looks strangely despondent nowadays."

"So are you going to talk to him?"

"A while more, perhaps," she says airily. "He's not going to learn his lesson if I forgive him entirely too early, don't you think?"

Finally, the significance of her smirk dawns on me and I can't help but grin back. Zechs is going to have his hands full with her, I can tell. The blonde peacock has really met his match this time. Suddenly, I see a female version of Solo, the type of person who knows exactly what buttons to push to get what they want. Manipulative, but clever nonetheless.

"Definitely. Just don't let him wait too long, or that guy you took the photo with could find himself in real danger," I answer, not too concerned.

"Nah, you don't have to worry about Fred. He's a judo expert. But I've told him to go easy on Zechs, if Zechs really does try to confront him. Actually, I'm pretty sure he will, but he'll be fine. Fred knows his strength well," she notes with a little nod of her head. Then she turns to me. "So I guess you won't be telling Zechs about my little… scheme, would you?"

"Not a word from me, I assure you. It's high time Zechs learns to settle down."

Our conniving grins are enough to scare others a mile away.

* * *

Maybe one would think I'm positively evil to want to do this to Zechs, my childhood friend. But really, I think this would do him some good. With Noin around, his womanizing days may finally be over. Well, he's not really a womanizer actually; just a big flirt with touchy feely hands and looks to attract females like bees to honey. So if he actually settles down, it'd give him some measure of character growth and well… he might lose some enemies and make less in the future. Unlike Zechs, I still find it hard to forget the time when a girl's boyfriend came knocking on his door like he wanted to bang the whole piece of wood down. 

So yes, I'm sure some good will come out of this.

Another good that has come out is the timely reminder of the existence of the new line of cell phones, I muse to myself as I step out of a shop with my new cell phone in hand. It's hard to remember a time when cell phones didn't exist, really. And I didn't really pay attention to when the screens turned from black and white to colour, and when the ring tones become midi files instead of a string of shrill, irritating rings.

But the best innovation about cell phones in my mind? The ability to take photos, of course.

Holding my cell phone before me, I press a button and instantly, the picture turns up on my screen. I grin. I'd admit that the photos are of low quality and can only be preserved in the memory card of my phone (I think), but it's convenient and handy. Much more convenient than my camera, that's for sure, since that is kept under locks inside my room all thanks to my lovely sister. Sometimes, I think I locked it away too good; it's a little bothersome to take it out now. But now that I have this thing -I finger my new phone gleefully- it'd be a lot easier to take photos.

And of course, what subject better to take than Duo?

If I could, I'd make him my wallpaper. But just when are we meeting again, anyway? I don't think we'd set a date or anything before he left my apartment the other day. Maybe I'll ring him up tonight and ask him out. And I could give him my new number too.

As I return home, I make a mental note of the people I have to remember to give my number to. Quatre, Trowa, Zechs, Catherine, Treize, Une, Hirde, Dorothy (my number one informant), Solo… I'm careful to leave out anyone who would leak my number to Relena. She's going to have a fit when she can't get me through the phone, but I could care less. In fact, I'd be happy enough to put on a tutu if I can just see the look on her face when she discovers that my phone number she has doesn't work anymore.

But most importantly, Duo. With cell phones, it'd be easier for us to get in touch without fear of his brother picking up my calls. Besides, there's something called SMS.

I just wonder if I can convince him to let me take a photo of us kissing. For real, this time.

-tbc-

Last revised 2nd July


	29. Solo's Plot

Title: Solo's Plot

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2

Warnings: Heero POV, slight Relena bashing, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Amy Mizuno's Little Gundam Wing Page

Disclaimer: I tried sending Santa an email asking for the GW gang since I did not get them on Christmas, but the email bounced, with a message telling me that Santa's email account doesn't work until December. So no, I do not own GW. I'm busy counting down the days till it's December now.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

Strolling down the corridor leading to the school library, I whistle a soft tune to myself. After I'd told Trowa about the kisses, he's been spreading the news to my close-knit circle of friends. Quatre can't stop grinning and congratulating me; Catherine is still in awe, I think; Trowa is doing a combination of both; and Zechs, though still a little despondent over Noin, gave me a high-five. It's obvious my friends are happy for me.

And of course, I'm even more elated than they are. After all, I'm the merry recipient of Duo's chaste kisses.

Maybe it's because of my obvious jubilation that I've been less aware of my surroundings lately. So I am completely caught by surprise when a too familiar voice rings out.

"Heero!"

I feel the urge to run away. Right now. At full speed. But even I think that is too ungentlemanly, so I reluctantly turn around to face her, the source of quite a few of my nightmares.

"Hello, Relena," I say none too happily, hoping that she'll pick up the hint and leave me alone. But who am I kidding? Still, I'm relieved to see someone else sashaying behind her. "Hi, Dorothy."

"Hi, Heero," she replies, offering me a little wince that tells me she did her best. I can't blame her, not when I know how insistent Relena can be sometimes. Hn, make that almost every time where I'm concerned.

"Oh, Heero. You are so careless, really! Did you even notice you've dropped your wallet?" Relena asks, one arm at her hip and the other holding my black leather wallet.

I nearly gasp, hand going to my back pocket. But my wallet is not there, and I inwardly curse my carelessness that has given Relena an excuse to come right up to me. As I reach out to take it back from her, I mutter a hasty thanks. When I try to slot it back into my pockets again, I find out the reason why my wallet dropped out in the first place. There's a hole in my jeans. A pretty big one, in fact. Sighing, I keep my wallet in my hands.

She throws me a coy smile, batting her eyes like a lamb. I must admit: Relena is a beautiful woman. Well, who wouldn't admit that? Azure blue eyes, straight nose, cherry lips, fair complexion… and that fall of long, light brown hair. She is really pretty. However, there's something about her that really turns me off. Her personality. Or lack of, I might add.

"You're always welcome. Oh, and Heero? Will you call me one of these days? I think we should go out together and get to know each other better," she suggests tamely, and tries to latch onto me. I back away quickly. "In fact, why don't we go for coffee right now? I've heard about this new bistro somewhere in the city, and they say it's got excellent coffee! You like coffee, don't you? And…"

" Lena, we have to go. We promised Jessica we'd go shopping with her today," Dorothy interrupts skillfully, sliding into our conversation like a warm knife into butter. "And you know we can't stand her up. She hates that."

Relena sighs loudly, reminding me of a child denied of her toy. "Yes, Jessica hates that. I suppose we'd have to be going now?"

Dorothy nods firmly.

"Sorry, Heero. If only I hadn't promised my friend, I'd go have a cup of coffee with you right now. Call me soon, okay?" she says regrettably, and quickly scampers off. Dorothy gives me a wink, and struts off as well after I signal to her my gratitude.

When they're both gone, I heave a sigh of relief. But if I know Relena well enough, she'd try to come after me again once she cancels her appointment. Not willing to take the chance, I quickly duck into the library and slither into the quietest corner I can find.

After a moment's consideration, I decide to pick out a few reference books and go into one of the study rooms to read. After all, this is what I came here for in the first place. Stacking up the books in my arms, I put my wallet at the very top. However, as I'm wobbling to a room, the blasted thing rolls down to the floor again. Sighing, I'm about to put my books aside and bend down to retrieve my wallet when someone else does it for me.

"Here." Solo offers it back to me, but he frowns when he notices my arms full of books. "Where are you going?" he asks, picking up the book at the top of the pile. "I'll take it there for you."

I nod sharply at an empty room. "That'll do. Thanks, Solo."

He shrugs with an absent grin. "Anytime, buddy," he replies, and opens the door for me. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

" Reading. What else can you do at a library?" I answer nonchalantly, putting down the books on the table. I didn't actually take a lot, just four very thick books. Maybe I should have been less greedy though. The weight of the books in my hands doesn't feel very good. When I look up, I grimace and my mind rings out, 'Not again!'

Solo is peeking at my wallet, just like all of my friends have done recently. Well, not really, actually. They haven't seen the current photo (which is currently a picture of me and Duo together in a park) but they did see the infamous brown spot one. Still, I think they're waiting for the day when the photo inside will turn into an intimate one. As it is, they are reading a lot from the brown spot photo.

Suddenly, Solo clasps the wallet together and gives me an unreadable look, almost like he's amused and annoyed at the same time. I'm not really sure. "Heero, what the hell is this photo doing here?"

Solo must be stunned to see Duo's photo, like most of my friends. Well technically, it's just Treize. I haven't shown this photo to the rest of them, since I know it will ultimately result in me unable to get my wallet back for quite a while. Chances are, Zechs will pass the photo around. Anyway, maybe Solo feels the same way as Treize. Both just as surprised to see the great beauty that is Duo.

At that thought, I blush lightly. Duo, my would-be boyfriend and lover. I think. I miss him already, even though it's been only a week since we last met, and only last night since we last chatted over a phone. I told him how much I've missed him, and how much I want to see him again soon, all the while cradling the phone close to me almost like he was close to me at that moment. I think Duo was happy to receive my phone call, because he told me quite explicitly that he missed me too. I almost leaped up in joy when I heard that. Still, it's disappointing to know that we won't be meeting again until next week. Damn his brother… the only day I'm free is the day Duo has to go out for dinner with him.

I could just growl if my friends didn't think it's my stomach.

"Beautiful, isn't he? Even though his choice of clothing that day does remind me a little of a Mars bar chocolate… you know? Black jacket, red shirt, and that chestnut hair…" I blabber nervously.

Then Solo laughs out loud all of a sudden. "What black jacket? It's obviously pink!"

He regards my confused expression for a moment before he laughs even harder. Tossing my wallet back to me, he jibes, "I always thought that you'd better taste than this, Heero."

Feeling something is strangely awry, I open my wallet and I distinctively feel my jaws slacken and my eyes widen involuntarily at the pink monstrosity inside. Instead of Duo, it is Relena in the picture, dressed in various shades of pink that goes from baby pink to dark pink.

"What the hell?" I utter, then realization washes over me like a wave pouring down on the shore. She must have slid her photo in before she returned it to me earlier, and Dorothy probably had no idea or she would have stopped her. Quickly, I remove the photo and smile, seeing Duo's photo still intact. Thankfully, Relena had slid her photo over Duo's instead of throwing Duo's away.

Still, this is a clear indication that Relena's doubling up her efforts at… pestering me. This is not good. I've got to think of something… something to get her off of my case. But what?

Solo's sniggering catches my attention again. Feeling a little more than mild irritation, I glare at him. But he matches my glare with a good-natured chuckle, and he shakes his head in what seems like sympathy. And maybe a little more hilarity.

"Man, Relena's growing on you, isn't she?"

I try to intensify my glare, but it seems that it has no effects. "She's growing on me like mould growing on bread. I can't believe she actually slid her photo into my wallet when she picked it up for me!"

He laughs harder despite my obvious exasperation, tempting me quite badly to throw a couple of my books onto his unprotected feet. Or maybe all of them.

"You know, things are getting out of hand if Relena's doing this," he notes when he's finally gotten the chuckles down, his voice still tinged with a little glee though. "It'll get even worse if you don't do anything about it soon."

His comments echo something that's already running amok inside my mind, and I sigh, slumping into a nearby seat. I think I've known this would happen one day. It got pretty obvious when Relena's infatuation refused to dissipate even though I never encouraged her, and now she's got this thing running in her head that I like her too, but I'm just too shy to let her know. It's like… I'm the coy maiden, and she's the gallant knight doing the courting. If I wasn't the victim, I could just laugh.

"Tell me something I don't know."

Solo's grin turns even more mischievous, if at all possible. It reminds me of the expression a kid gets when he finds a bucket full of water bombs and no adults to stop him.

"Heero, remember the last time I suggested that you find a boyfriend? A fake one, if you have to, so you can tell Relena to her face that you're gay? I think it's time you try that out."

I fix him with the deepest frown I can manage. It's not like poor ol' anti-social Heero can suddenly find a cute buddy to act as his boyfriend, and Solo knows it. All of my buddies are either straight as a ruler, or already attached. Either those, or they're not of the correct gender. Who else can help?

"Mind telling me where I can find someone willing to help out?" I ask, almost frustrated already. For those people who are so eager to point out that I have Duo, I beg to differ. Well, not really. In a sense, I do /have/ Duo. I know that if I just ask, he might actually be willing to help me out. But I'm not all that willing to ask him that, because well… there's always the small percentage of possibility that he'd reject. And if I do ask him, how am I going to make it sound like I /really/ want him to be my boyfriend, and not just a ploy to make the pink harpy get away from me. I'm not good with words, as some people might already know, and I might just screw it up. Duo's probably going to think he's just /pretending/ to be my boyfriend when I want him to be my /real/ boyfriend.

Man, this sounds complicated, doesn't it? I've already got a headache just thinking about it.

"My brother," Solo says simply, oblivious to my inner struggle.

"Your brother?"

He nods. "He's, well… the only person I can think of now."

Somehow, the grin on his face tells me this is a calculated move on his part.

"Duo's 17, still in junior college and so cute he'll make Relena conscious of herself. Perfect for the part, I'd say."

I think my jaws just dropped. Or plummeted. Whatever. "Wait. What did you say his name was?"

"Duo. You know, I'm Solo and he's Duo? I think if we had one more brother, he'd be called Trio," he jokes, laughing at himself.

I screw my jaws back on tightly. It has got to be a coincidence. I think. Fate can't love me so much, can she? I mean… if the Duo he's talking about is the Duo I've been dating, then I really /hate/ the person writing our lives as though it's some story! Look at it this way: Solo is the mean, manipulative brother who is hell bent on choosing a suitable boyfriend for his younger brother, who happens to be Duo. So somehow, Solo decides that I am the person he's looking for. But at the same time, he's irked at the guy (that's me, obviously) who is calling up Duo to date him so he tried to intercept the calls. And at the same time again, Duo and I are dating happily (at least I think he's happy with me).

See what I mean?

Then again, I don't think everything can be so… impeccable. Or is that amusing?

"So it's settled, right? We'll meet this coming Friday night for dinner at that new bistro that's just opened up at West End Street. You can get to know my brother then, and I know you two will just hit it off. I just know it," Solo states with a lot of conviction, like he's a judge passing his sentence on me. "What time do you want to meet? Seven?"

I blink. "Seven's good…"

"Okay! We'll see you at seven then! By the way, have you finished designing those posters for our project yet? William's asking for them already. He wants to see it first before he decides if it's good enough for a joint advertisement." Solo snorts. "Anyway, have them ready by next week. I'll pass them to William."

"Next week will be fine…"

"That's it then! Man, I can't believe it's almost time to set up our business already! And we've still got quite a bit to finish up!" he says, looking quite happy with our progress. "I guess we'll have to meet up again some time to clear up the minute details later. Anyway, I've got to run. Remember it's seven at night, at the new bistro at West End Street! This Friday, okay? Bye, Heero!"

Solo runs off, without giving me a chance to reject the dinner plans. I can't believe it. I've just been pushed into a dinner date with his brother! And now, I haven't got a chance to decline. Oh well, I think I'll just go and scare that Duo off. Probably.

Still, can they be the same Duo? I wonder…

-tbc-

Last revised 2nd July 2005


	30. Duo's Disappointments

Title: Duo's Disappointments

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, Mariemaia+OC, Alex+Sylvia

Warnings: Duo POV, humour, fluff, some sap, AU (Our world and time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Amy Mizuno's Little Gundam Wing Page

Disclaimer: As I live in a city, I hardly see any shooting stars. If I ever see one, I'll wish that the GW boys belonged to me. But before that, they don't belong to me in any way. As it is, I don't own Harry Potter, Yu Yu Hakusho, Gals, Fruit Basket, Saiyuki, Naruto,Yu gi oh and Garfield either. They belong to their respective creators. Still, I own this ficcy and I think that's my only consolation.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

* * *

I try to burn a hole in Marie's head with my stare, gazing at her intently and need I say, heatedly. If looks can kill… well, she'd probably be lying on the hospital bed right now. It's not that I wish her ill intent. But somehow, whatever I say to her always gets sieved out. Either that, or she doesn't even listen to me.

But she certainly acts like she does.

Roughly one week after the day she broke it off with David and wailed all about it in the ice cream palour, she latched onto Jason. No matter what she says, I don't believe that she's given thought to what I told her.

"Duo, you should stop glaring at them. Otherwise, Jason's going to think you're interested in Marie."

I turn around, feeling a greater measure of frustration than amusement. "Don't be silly, Sylvia. Me? Interested in Marie? She is so slow she would have to speed up to stop. Why would I want to date someone like that?"

She giggles at my annoyance. "Right, it's a silly thought. After all, you have Heero and we all know that."

I knew it was a bad idea to let the girls know about Heero. Now, they take great pleasure in teasing me about him. Still, the teasing has died down pretty much already, and my reaction has changed from sheer embarrassment to coyness. Sylvia's picked up on that; she thinks it's a clear indication that I actually /like/ Heero in a… romantic sort of way. I guess so, or I wouldn't have kissed him good night that day.

It's time I turned the tables. Well, not exactly, but close enough.

"So… what's with you and Alex now?"

She grimaces with as much grace a girl of her upbringing manages, which is saying quite a bit. If I didn't know her well, I probably would have missed the grimace that flew across her face like a flash of lightning.

"He's still… doing all that," she replies hesitantly.

"Oh you mean… casting moony eyed looks at you, slotting notes that sing your praises into your locker, doing poets injustice by quoting their poems…" I count them on my fingers and then look up. "Did I miss out any?"

Sylvia chuckles. "No, I think you covered them all." Then her expression turns solemn. "It's disconcerting… to know he's doing all that. And to me, no less!"

I have to agree on that. When had Alex, the number one school bully's famous sidekick, turned into the sappiest embodiment of Mr. Romantic? And for him to shower all his affection on Sylvia is even more frightening. It's not that I'm trying to belittle one of my best friends, but Alex always likes to pick on me. Or rather, Mueller has the habit of searching me out so he can pull on my braid. And Alex, being the number one sidekick, seemed to develop that same tendency pretty quickly.

"Have you tried telling him that? About how scary it is to have him hover over you when he can?"

"Yes. No. Yes, I mean…" She looks like she's struggling to come up with the correct words. Sylvia doesn't like to offend anyone, if possible. She should become a politician one day, or an author, and she'll publish this book called 'The Book of Politically Correct Phrases for Every Situation'. It'd be a major hit. I just know it.

"I told him that I didn't like it, but I don't think he got the message."

"Oh. You want me to help?" The first thing I'll do is to march right up to Mrs. Stiles and tell her to assign Alex to another student tutor. After all, his infatuation with Sylvia didn't begin until they were meeting regularly for tuition.

She shakes her head. "I'll be fine. Maybe I just have to be firmer in my words with him."

Somehow, I don't think that's possible. There's a limit as to how firm Sylvia can be, and even at her firmest, she's no match for Marie. Or me, even.

"Are you sure?" I try again, knowing full well that she won't be able to deter Alex on her own.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

I let the subject drop. While Sylvia has one of the mildest tempers I've ever seen, she can quite insistent when she wants and she won't give in no matter what others say. If things do get out of hand, and that's highly possible with someone like Alex, I'll still be around to help solve it.

And if that doesn't work, I can always call Heero in and let him reinforce his threat.

With that thought, I just can't help but smile. Heero… my boyfriend. Damn if that doesn't sound like an angel's serenade to my ears! After so many years of short and nearly non-existent relationships, I've finally found someone who's looked me up time and time again despite Solo's intervention. Of course, that might be because I've been trying my best to not let my brother know about Heero. As far as Solo knows, Heero's just been calling me occasionally.

But I wonder what Heero thinks of us. Does he think of me as his boyfriend yet? As of today, the number of times we've held hands: every time we date since the time we went for a movie. The number of times he's held my waist: once. The number of times we've kissed: zilch, zip, nil, nada, zero. As in, none at all. Well, if you consider a kiss on his cheeks, once.

Yup, the numbers are disheartening. I sigh.

"Duo? I'm okay, you know? Alex's not going to scare me to death."

I blink, and my eyes register Sylvia sitting across me with a mildly amused expression on her face. Gee, one of my best pals is having a problem with a likely would-be stalker, and here I am, fantasizing about kissing Heero. I'm such a fantastic friend I don't even know where to begin listing my excellent attributes.

Smiling sheepishly, I answer, "Yeah, but I'm worried about you. Alex… he's, you know." I trail off with a light shrug of my shoulders.

"I know what you mean, but…"

And our conversation spins off to just how funny some people can be, especially when they're trying really hard to annoy the teachers. Take Alex the idiot for example. One of the papers he handed in had a light footprint on one side; he said that that's a footnote.

* * *

I bite my lips. Vaguely, I try to remember which direction it is. The last time I was here, Heero kinda distracted me. Besides, I had him with me, so I guess remembering my way around wasn't really on top of my agenda. And now I see why I should have paid more attention.

I don't ever recall seeing that bakery there. Or that sports apparel shop. Oh no. I think I'm lost.

Maybe I should ask around. I really don't fancy having to wander around here like Moses did in the desert for 40 years. Howie told me it was God's will, as some sort of test of will. But somehow, I can't help but wonder if he was actually lost. I don't think they had compasses back then. But then again, it was a desert.

Just as I'm about to give in, I spot it. All tucked neatly into the corner of the street. A little too neat, I'd say. I almost missed it! Suddenly, I feel like Harry Potter when he first discovered the existence of Diagon Alley. Giving myself a mental cheer, that and a mental image of myself in Hogwarts robes, I quickly make my way there. The bell rings as the door opens, and the girl behind the counter looks up. Flipping her blonde locks behind her, she smiles. Or smirks, rather.

"Hi, Duo. Finished with the anime you borrowed the last time already?"

Grinning sheepishly, I reply, "Yeah… mostly. God knows how much schoolwork I'm going to have to catch up with now. I'm not done with the Yu Yu Hakusho movie yet though; my friend borrowed it." Friend is right. For now at least, before Heero and I progress anymore. I place the DVDs I borrowed the last time on the counter top, and she quickly scans them and replaces them in the little basket behind her. "Thanks, Miss Dorothy."

She raises an eyebrow and smirks again. "Just Dorothy will do. And I'll call you Duo."

I grinned. "Sure!"

"Anyway, about that Yu Yu Hakusho movie… you don't have to worry about it. It's not due yet. At least not until next Tuesday," she returns my grin (granted, she makes it seem a lot more femme and classy). "So do you want to borrow more? We just got this new shipment of anime yesterday. Let me see…" –she pulls out a list from under the counter- "…Fruit Basket, Gals, Saiyuki… Oh, you just take a look at the list yourself."

I take it from her and quickly scan through. And then my eyes gain this positive glow when they zoom in on the latest episodes of Naruto.

Oh gods… temptation, temptation. I weigh my options. If I borrow any more, I'm going to get addicted and miss out on more homework. Marie's been accusing me of fantasizing about Heero just because I wasn't paying attention in class. I stress: 'accusing' is the operational word here. And Solo's kinda worried about my schoolwork lately; he just wants me to get into his university so badly… On the other hand, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

"Just one more," I answer meekly, and suddenly, I see angel Duo getting whacked on the head by devil Duo and the latter laughing maniacally with his trident. Wincing, I pray that the little winged one will recover from that blow soon… as soon as I finish watching the anime, that is.

As I see the angel getting wheeled away for recovery, I'm still scanning through the list. And when I get to the end, I sigh. The anime I really want to watch is still not here; I had checked out the shelves the last time I was here, and I caught neither hide nor hind of it.

My disappointment must be showing on my face in flashing neon lights.

"Duo? Can't find the anime title you want?" Dorothy asks casually.

"Not exactly. I did find one anime I wanted, but the other is just not here. It wasn't here the last time I checked either." I shrug. "Oh, could I have the latest DVD for Naruto, please?"

"Of course. It should be in the shelves. I can't leave the counter; sorry."

"It's okay. Thanks."

Scuttling to the back where the anime shelves are, I quickly run my fingers across the cases and pull out the one I want. I'm lucky I'm here today, since it's the last one left and the anime is just getting to the really interesting bits. Finally, I can see Naruto and Garaa (1) duke it out; those people making all these discs are positively evil when they left me hanging on the giant cliffhanger in the last one.

As I'm browsing through the other titles, I hear the tinkling of a bell, which means that someone just came in. But I pretty much ignore it; I'm not the only one who comes to this video library. As it is, I'm wondering why I seem to be the only one here… in the anime section that is. Are there no heavy anime addicts anymore?

Suddenly, I sense someone right behind me and I move away. But the guy just follows me like he's my shadow. I try again, and he's still behind me. Feeling more than a little irked, I turn around, determined to give the immature person a piece of my mind.

"What the hell…"

But my words stop on my lips when I see who it is, and I blink.

"Fei?"

That slick black hair that pulled back into a small ponytail (definitely a ponytail; it's too small to be considered a horse's), slanted exotic eyes and the blue tank top… Not to mention that frown that seems like a permanent fixture on his face. Yup, definitely Fei.

"Hello Duo. I knew it was you the minute I saw your back. No one has a braid like yours," he replies with a smirk. "You would think it's still the Qing Dynasty and men wore their hair in plaits."

I think I'm pouting, unable to think up a smart comeback. Ponytails will probably never be out of vogue.

"Hey, it's the only way my hair won't get caught in stuff. Can you imagine me with a ponytail everyday? I'd probably take 15 minutes to get from my room to the living room just because I had to stop and untangle my hair from the doorknob or whatever."

"You could cut it and all your problems will be solved," he answers like he'd just gained enlightenment of some sorts. Before I can rebuff his statement, he continues, "But then I'd probably find my head on a pike, courtesy of Heero." He rolls his eyes and shrugs. "He likes long hair."

"How…? Oh right, your girlfriend is Heero's sister. What's her name again?"

"Hirde. She keeps her hair short because Heero used to play with it like she's some doll. I guess he still has a hair fetish."

He smirks knowingly, and I can feel my face burning up. But still, I promise myself I'm not gonna cut my hair again, ever. Thanks mum, for giving me beautiful hair like yours.

"So… why are you here?" I ask, eager to change the subject.

This time, the smirk leaves his face and he sighs instead. "One word: Hirde. She's got this movie she wants to watch but she's too lazy to come here to get it. So I'm stuck with the job," -he shrugs helplessly- "This place is a little remote; I nearly got lost coming here. So what about you? Why are you here?"

I hold up the Naruto DVD case. "Came here to return some anime, and got tempted to borrow more."

He gapes. "Oh my god. Is this the latest DVD for Naruto? Hey, I want to watch it too!"

Right, I almost forgot. Fei is a big anime fan like me, the proof of heavy anime addicts still in existence. I grin toothily, like I had a hold on him. This sort of thing doesn't happen often, so I take pride in it when it does. After all, Fei isn't the most amiable person around. "It's the last on the shelf, and it's mine. I'll pass it to you later."

"You'd better," he warns in an almost sulking manner. Then he brightens up and looks around appreciatively. "Honestly, maybe I should be glad that Hirde made me come here. I had no idea there's such a big library of anime titles here."

"Yeah. Me neither, until Heero took me here."

Fei raises a playful eyebrow. "On a date?"

"No! Not really…" Oh gods, why am I so easily embarrassed? Is it my colouring?

But luckily, he ignores me. "So, have you found any Yu-gi-oh VCDs or DVDs here? I've been dying to watch them, but all I've found are some horribly dubbed and choppy episodes on the Internet. It really doesn't do the anime justice to watch it like that."

I shake my head. "I haven't seen any here. Wanna ask Dorothy? Maybe she can help us with it."

"Dorothy?"

"The girl at the counter."

"Oh," -he raises an eyebrow- "you've been here so frequently that you even know the girl by name?"

"Well, she's Heero's friend, and we kinda…" I stop mid-sentence, knowing that I don't have to say anything else, judging from the look on Fei's face. He's probably already filled in the blanks by himself, and no matter what I say, it's gonna be overruled. How utterly unfair.

So I ignore him and march out to the counter where Dorothy is checking out some items for a customer. She finishes up pretty quickly, so I snatch the chance and go up to her.

"Dorothy? Do you happen to have any Yu-gi-oh episodes here?"

She bites her bottom lip in contemplation for a moment, and she slowly shakes her head. "None that I know of."

I sigh, but not before I hear someone coming up behind me.

"Here too? I've been to at least three other shops, and they never have the full set. Well, as full as it gets currently," Fei laments. "It's still running in Japan."

"Is that so? I'm not sure if I can find either… It's not listed in the ones we can get from our supplier. Maybe you can find it online?" Dorothy suggests hopefully. "Or maybe I can ask around for you."

"Yes please!" Fei and I chorus, and we look at each other before bursting into sniggers. Maybe I should meet up with Fei outside of Sally's shop more often. And exchange information on the Yuy siblings; it could do us some good.

"Hey, didn't catch your name. Are you Duo's friend?"

Fei throws a nod at Dorothy. "Yes, and my name is Wufei. You can call me Fei like Duo does though." He glares at me, albeit with a hint of mischievousness.

"Aww! You're finally warming up to my nickname for ya!" I tease, and envelop him in a bear hug. But I let go of him soon enough when he nudges me not too harshly with his elbow.

"You dare do this in front of an eye witness who happens to be Heero's friend? He could get jealous," he says, deadpanned, but I think he laughs when my jaws drop. Now I know the reason for the hint of mischievousness in his eyes earlier. He was set out to get me!

The blonde girl stares at our antics for a moment before laughing herself. "Oh, no worries, Duo. I'll be tightlipped about this… incident." She gives me a knowing wink.

I glare at the two of them, who are now sniggering between themselves slyly, but I keep my mouth shut. After all, they've got the upper hand. Not to mention the blush on my face does not make me the most intimidating person around, so whatever I say will surely be deemed null and void.

* * *

Dropping my pen on my book, I stretch my body, feeling the bones pop and my muscles protesting. It's been a long night hitting the books. I swear the teachers have the most impeccable timing sometimes, and homework comes like a deluge when they do. It's like they had conspired to give us work at the same time so a) we wouldn't be bored out of our minds for the weekend, b) we'll have to work like crazy to finish everything or c) we'll make 'good' use of our time. Personally, I think the answer is d) all of the above.

I can only imagine Marie struggling with math, half-buried under textbooks and breaking something in frustration. Maybe she'll make good use of the 'ganbatte' headband Sylvia and I had gotten her for her birthday this time (2).

Sighing, I continue. As much as I would love to do it all tomorrow, Solo's taking me out for dinner tomorrow night and I'm not too keen on staying home for the weekend to finish it up. And I have some anime to catch up with too. As I bend down to start working on some calculus again, the phone rings shrilly. I pick it up without a second thought, thinking that maybe Marie has finally given up on homework and is calling me for help.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Duo?"

I blink for a moment before a smile takes hold of my face. It's definitely not Marie. "Heero? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. So… how have you been lately? I haven't been able to see you these last couple of days. Still busy?"

Twirling the cord around my finger, I lean back against my chair. "Yeah. School's been a murder lately, but I'm managing. What about you?"

"Not too bad."

"That's good."

We go silent for a moment, but it's not an awkward kind of silence. It's more like… we're just feeling each other, even though it's through a phone. Sappy, yeah I know, but it's what I think. I've always been a closet sap, and Heero's been bringing that side of me out more often recently.

"I miss you," he starts.

Resisting the urge to go 'aww', I answer, "I miss you too. Maybe we can meet up this weekend and go for a movie or something?" I'm definitely going to finish up my homework tonight now.

"Yeah, I'd love that," he replies, and I can almost hear him smiling smugly. Then his tone turns to something that borders on sheepish. "Duo, I'm sorry, but I need a favour from you."

"What is it?"

"I need you to have dinner with me tomorrow night."

My heart skips a beat. "What do you mean? Need me to have dinner with you?" But a question, one that I didn't quite dare voice out, resounds in my mind. Is this a date? An actual date that involves us getting kissie and not another of those hold-hands-friendship dates?

"You see… this classmate of mine… he's trying to pair me up with his sibling, and he thought that a dinner date would do the trick. But I'm not really one for blind dates, so… I'm hoping that you could come and help me? You know… pretend to be my boyfriend?"

I think my heart just fell a couple of notches down to God knows where. If only he would strike out that 'pretend' in his request!

"I… err, have dinner with my brother tomorrow. We're going out, so…" No way am I gonna just pretend to be his boyfriend! What if he thinks that's all I want? What if that's all he wants?

"I'm sorry Duo, but you're the only one I can trust with this… pretense. And you don't have to stay with me the whole time. Maybe you can just make an appearance so my friend knows that I have a boyfriend? Just a minute will do," he pleads like a whining Shini, and I just can't help but pout. Heero sure doesn't know how this whole idea sounds to me.

But it's Heero we're talking about, so I guess there's no getting out of it. I like the guy, after all.

"Where are you having that blind date, then?"

He sighs in relief over the phone. "I think it's called 'Lemon Grass' (3). The date is at seven."

"I'll try to make it," I answer casually (at least I think I did) even though I'm not too happy at the choice of restaurant. It's a new restaurant, and supposedly, it caters to couples quite well. Couples. Of all things, it just had to be that, did it? Who chose the damn place, anyway?

"Thank you, Duo. I'll make up for this on the weekend, I swear."

If he thinks that will make me feel minutely better… he's right. But I'm not going to be easy on him. Call it a mean streak that runs through my family. "Sure, I'm… just helping a friend."

"Oh. I… I know. Thank you."

He's disappointed, I can tell. Now I feel guilty.

"Maybe we can go over to your place and cuddle? And watch another movie? I kinda liked it that day…" I say, hoping to make him feel better. Not that I'm lying, actually. Heero's warm and soft to lean against on the couch, and I practically melt when he puts his arm around me.

"Really?" he nearly shouts into the phone in his excitement, but I can't blame him. Instead, I snigger.

"I… I… I mean… sure, I'd love to."

Heero's so easy to read sometimes.

After teasing him for a while more, we hang up reluctantly. After all, I still have homework to finish, and he's… doing the dishes because his sister has apparently, learnt the art of sneaking off during dish duty. Not that she has ever done the dishes, though.

Just as I'm about to go back to my work, someone knocks on my door. Someone out there is certainly not letting me finish my math homework… and to think I still have an essay to write.

"Hey, Duo!"

I turn around, welcoming the break. At least I have a good excuse. "Yes Solo?"

"Just coming in to remind you that I'm taking you out for dinner tomorrow night lest you forget about it. You are not going out with your friends, are you?" he asks cheekily, leaning against my door with Shini in his arms. That traitor… just because I didn't manage to feed him dinner this morning because I was rushing to school, he's been following Solo around all day. I think he's the doggy version of Garfield; no dog can be as crazy for food as he is. If I just buy him a catty version of Odie, I could shoot a movie.

"I don't have a memory that bad… Where are we going anyway? And Howie?"

"He's got to work tomorrow night, so I guess we'll have to go on without him. We can always take him there next time. As for the place… have you heard of 'Lemon Grass'? They serve Thai food, and they have this really good green curry."

I chuckle. "Solo, you're drooling."

"Am not. I'm just eagerly anticipating dinner tomorrow night," he replies. "Anyway, I'll leave you alone now. Finish up your homework, okay? And if you have anything you don't understand, just ask the genius in the room next to yours." He grins, and Shini barks as though backing him up.

"You mean Howie?" I ask innocently.

"Smart alec… Happy birthday, kid. Even though it's two days from now, consider that treat tomorrow as your birthday present from me. I'm sure you'll like it," he says with an unholy gleam in his eyes. Is he up to something? Oh well.

It's only a matter of seconds before Shini's yipping can barely be heard from my room; I think Solo's stuffing… ahem, feeding him right now. Then something he said earlier comes back to my mind and punches me hard. I blink. Did Solo say 'Lemon Grass'? Isn't that the restaurant Heero's gonna be at?

…Am I supposed to make sense out of this?

So I've got my brother taking me out for dinner because my birthday's coming. Okay, checked and perfectly logical. My potential boyfriend is asking me to be his 'pretend boyfriend' on the same night, at the same restaurant, and possibly the same time slot, so he can throw his friend who's trying to set him up with his younger sibling off track. Checked, slightly impossible but still logical.

God, are you trying to tell me something?

-tbc-

(1): Characters from the anime Naruto. I don't own them in any way. And just in case you're wondering, this is really happening to me, only that I'm still hanging. /sweatdrops/

(2): You know that white piece of cloth students in Japan tie around their foreheads with a red circle and two Japanese characters on it? Just for your information, 'ganbatte' is just one of the many phrases that you can find on such bandanas.

(3): It's a real restaurant somewhere in the city over here. Don't own it! I'm just using the name!

Last revised 2nd July 2005


	31. The Dinner part 1

Title: The Dinner part 1

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, R+1

Warnings: Duo POV, AU (our time), humour, some sap

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Amy Mizuno's Little Gundam Wing Page

Disclaimer: I was going to buy the ownership papers for the GW gang, but the dog next door ate my cheque book. While I try to calm myself so I won't go over and mutilate the damn thing, I'll have to say that I do not own GW in any way. I own this fic though.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing!

Author's note: If this isn't the first time you've read this fic, then you've probably already noticed that some chappies have changed. I've been revising the previous chapters to correct the grammar and characterizations. However, there aren't enough changes to warrant a complete reread. Just thought I'd let you know. /grins/

* * *

I peer at Solo. Hmm, doesn't seem like he's planning anything. I mean, there's no indication that he's got something in for me at the restaurant. No conniving grin, no excited steps, no nothing. But then again, Solo's the king of pretense. You can never tell what he's thinking.

Everything is just so… coincidental. Heero's gonna be the same restaurant, and I've promised to be his 'pretend boyfriend'. At the same time, Solo's taking me there for a birthday treat. What if Solo was setting me up with Heero? It's actually kinda possible, since I know for a fact that they're both students of the same school and Solo did mention to me once about this classmate he has and how he's got the potential to be a good boyfriend to me.

I stifle the urge to laugh out loud. Just thinking about it is tickling my sides. So let me just round it up so I know I've got it right: Heero is the guy who's been hitting on me and also the one I've been semi-dating for a while now; at the same time I have this evil big bro who's hell bent on not letting me choose my boyfriend so he tries to scare Heero off. Then, Solo finds a potential brother-in-law in one of his classmates, who may also be Heero, and is currently trying to set us up. Simply put, I'm dating this guy whom my brother is not happy about and setting me up with. Sounds fantastic, doesn't it?

Anyway, in the midst of my thoughts, my brother drags me into the restaurant he was talking about the other day. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was walking, so I nearly overshot. The place actually looks kinda nice, even though it seems like they're trying to skimp on the lighting so I can hardly see the decor. Maybe it's to enhance the appearance of the servers. Fine. It's for couples to get all mushy on each other. I'm still not happy about Heero coming here.

"Hey, Duo," Solo says suddenly. "I gotta answer the call of nature, so you go find yourself a seat first, okay? Be back in a few!"

He scampers off before I can say anything. If I know him well enough, he's probably off to the kitchens to charm the brains out of some chef or waitresses to get some discount. Or maybe he's going to a secluded spot so he can call the guy he's matchmaking me with. Oh joy.

"Hi sir! How many of you are there?" a well-dressed waitress asks.

"Erm, two." I hope there isn't more.

"Come this way, then!"

She leads me away quickly, and I'm almost hard pressed to follow while dodging the number of tables and chairs cluttered around, not to the mention the servers doing their infamous balancing acts. But when she stops, I just can't help but blink. I think that when God saw my profile for today, he said, "Hey, this Duo's been a good little boy recently. Let me give him a little reward." And then he stamps the word 'coincidence magnet' on my photo.

"Heero?"

"Duo?" He's just as surprised to see me, I think. After all, we're both 15 minutes early for our respective appointments. Not that he even knew I was supposed to come to this restaurant as well.

"Erm, thank you, but I'll just sit here," I say to the girl, pulling out a chair. She shrugs and flutters off like a butterfly. I can almost see the petals drifting along behind her. The place is kinda busy today, so it seems that it'll take a while before someone can take our orders.

"Hi, you're early," Heero notes with a hint of nervousness. Only to be expected, since this is the closest to a real couple type of date we've had. Even though it's not real. Yes, I'm still grumpy about it. At least Heero looks good today; not that he doesn't always look good. He just looks especially good today. Blue dress shirt and black slacks may be a bit too simple for some people, but Heero looks like a Greek god in these. His hair is still a hopeless mess, but I actually like it that way. Makes it all the more tempting to run my fingers through it… Suddenly, a thought comes to me. Just whom is he trying to impress tonight? His blind date? The merry matchmaker?

"You're early too," I reply curtly, already pouting inwardly. "Where's your friend?"

"He's not here yet. At least, I haven't seen him. But we're early, so I'm guessing that he won't be here until another…" –he glances at his watch- "ten minutes. But why don't you order something first if you're hungry? It's my treat."

"It's okay, I can wait." Even so, I'm giving the dishes the restaurant offers an appreciative glance. The pictures in the menu look really good. Oh, and here's that green curry Solo's been telling me about. And you get to choose how spicy you want it? Let me see… Hmm. One chilli icon means 'mild'. Two icons mean 'medium', and three means 'very hot'. There's a fourth one beside the green curry. I'm guessing it's either 'very, very hot' or 'not for the faint of hearts'. Okay, tongues.

Beside us, a group of Asian looking diners yelled, "As spicy as you manage (1)!"

"By the way, where's your brother? I thought he was supposed to take you out for dinner?"

Heero's question knocks me out of my drooling fest.

"He is, and he chose this place. Strange huh? Oh, and he's busy in the men's room," I answer casually. Then my earlier thoughts come back to me and I look up from the leather-bound menu. "You know, we could have the weirdest situation here."

He blinks, and then narrows his eyes suspiciously like he is waiting for me to take off screaming into the hills. "Why?"

"You see…" I clear my throat for the dramatic effect. "My brother is giving me a treat tonight, but I have a feeling he's asking a friend of his to come over to see me as well. And you're pretty much in the same situation, aren't you?"

Heero chuckles. "We could do a double-date. You and me, and then the two mysterious others."

I snicker at the suggestion, but this tiny little voice in my mind tells me that I may be laughing at myself. After all, the 'two mysterious others' could very well be Heero and me again. Then another voice answers, "Nah, it can't be that coincidental. What? You think we're in a soap opera?"

"Solo!"

"Wha?" I blurt out, when Heero suddenly waves at someone behind me.

Heero looks at me with a strange gleam in his eyes that I can't really decipher. I think it's a combination of awkwardness, nervousness and sheepishness. "Oh, it's my friend. He's here. It's strange though, I don't see his brother with him…"

Oh god. I turn around, and for this split second, it feels like I'm doing it in slow motion and everything around me just freezes. Yeah, kinda like the movie 'Matrix', and the camera is panning around. Crap. I don't feel too good all of a sudden. The voices inside my head start speaking again, and I'm pretty sure that the one that spoke last is saying, "Okay, it's official; you're the star of the newest drama serial on the block! And maybe you'd want to knock the scriptwriter out?" And the other voice, the more practical one, is rolling on the ground laughing.

As long as it seems, I think it took around a second for me to turn and see Solo strutting happily over to Heero and me.

Had I guessed it right all along? Alright, the big showdown is now. Suddenly, I see lights blaring and lasers flashing. And then a girl with a mike is standing on the stage, which actually looks more like a boxing ring all of a sudden. She flashes a smile, and waves at the crowd. Then, she points to a corner of the ring and announces, "And there in the corner is Solo Maxwell! He's the typical bad-ass brother who's over-protective of their younger siblings and hence takes great time and effort to choose a good boyfriend for his brother! Today he's up against Heero Yuy, the guy who's wooing his brother without his prior permission!"

The crowd roars and cheers and throws popcorn at each other. Heero and Solo are fluffing up their boxing gloves, blue and red respectively. They glare at each other, and Solo punches the air in front of him in rapid succession while Heero just ignores him. Hey, is that Howie passing a towel and bottle of water to Solo? And what is Shini doing there with him, barking his head off?

"And just who are they fighting for? It's Duo Maxwell, the shy little boy who's dating Heero despite his elder brother's displeasure! Look at him! Ain't he just a cutie pie?" she swoons.

The lights turn towards me, and I finally understand what they mean by being in the limelight. The crowd cheers even louder than before, and it's raining popcorn and soda. God… I just want the ground to swallow me up.

Solo turns to me. "You're not dating this guy! He's not done with my checklist yet!"

"Duo, let me just knock his lights out and we can go on that date I promised you a while ago. It'll be quick," Heero coos.

As suddenly as the mental image comes, it goes away and reality comes crashing in.

Hoo boy.

"Oh, I see you've found yourself a nice table, huh Duo?" Solo smirks at me and slides into the seat beside mine. "And you're already getting acquitted with Heero!"

I blink. Or I maybe I'm gaping, gawking, double gawking. My jaws can be slack and my eyes may be popping, but I've got no idea. Shock, it seems, is cutting off the electrical supply from my brains to all my organs. So all that I've been imagining is real? Heero is the guy Solo was talking about and setting me up with? And also the same guy who Solo's been yelling at through the phone whenever I fail to pick it up before he does?

"Wait a minute. You know Duo?" Vaguely, I hear Heero's voice. Not to mention the confusion. Oh, it's enough to fill up an Olympic sized swimming pool, I think.

"Of course. He's the younger brother I was telling you about," Solo replies so casually, for a minute there, I thought he was talking about the weather. Or maybe even the food. Anything but this… whacked up relationship we three share.

I think I see lightning flashing across the sky and the sky's rumbling. It's like one of those classic movie moments where this enemy you've been fighting against for ages suddenly turns out to be your father. Or something like that.

"He's Duo? The Duo you were telling me about the other day?"

Romeo, oh Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

"Yea, of course. I seriously don't think there's any other people named Duo out there, is there?" Solo laughs.

If only you knew, my dear brother… If only you knew.

"Seriously, I think our parents were just too lazy to think up of proper names… Well, at least they didn't call us 01 and 02. That would have been a riot!"

Newsflash to you, bro. There's gonna be one in a minute or two.

I think Heero's thoughts are around the same line. He must have figured out the sheer absurdity and maybe a tad tragic situation that has ensnarled all three of us. That and Solo's my brother, also known as the evil brother who sifts out unwanted (in his opinion, that is) phone calls. We peer at each other, and I see that little, almost non-existent nervous grin on his face. Just how are we gonna break the news to him? He's gonna flip, that's for sure…

"I would introduce you two, but it seems like you're already getting along! Still, just in case all you've been doing is casting moony eyes at each other," " – he wags a suggestive eyebrow – "this cute one here is my younger brother, Duo," – he points to me – "and this is Heero Yuy, my classmate."

Both of us nod, but I'm pretty sure it's just reflexes.

"Maybe you two should introduce yourselves?"

Showdown time, I guess. Hmm, how would I phrase this? Solo, meet Heero Yuy, my good friend and maybe soon-to-be boyfriend who asked me to be his pretend-boyfriend tonight so he could reject your brother, who happens to be me as well. Interesting, huh? Maybe I should add a smile to that.

I look at Heero, only to see him blush. While I'm trying to guess why he's blushing, I feel a warm hand clasping my own under the table. Now it's my turn to blush. Heero's hand (I hope so, because otherwise it'd be my brother) rubs mine gently, his thumb caressing my palm. I give his hand a squeeze, hoping that he'll catch the hint. After all, he's the one meeting his future in-laws so he should be the one talking.

Thankfully, he does.

But instead of talking to Solo about the peculiar situation we're in, he turns to me with an out-stretched arm.

"Hello, Duo. I'm Heero Yuy."

What the hell?

"Erm, I'm your brother's classmate and partner for a business project… Erm… anything else you want to know?" he asks sheepishly.

Sheepish? I'll show you murderous. And shouldn't you rephrase that question to 'anything else I don't know?' Gods, Heero, is my brother so scary that you don't even dare to tell him the truth? I mean, what's the worst he could do? Swallow you up and use your bones to pick his teeth? Then I steal a glance at Solo, who's grinning from ear to ear, looking as satisfied as the merry matchmaker should be at a successful pairing. He mouths a 'Go bro!' with a little hand gesture, thinking that I'm too shy to reply. I wonder what he would say when he finds out that Heero and I have been semi-dating for the past couple of months.

And suddenly, I have a newfound respect for Heero's act of preservation of both our heads. As angelic as Solo can look when he wants to be (did I ever mention that he was president of the drama club during his secondary school days?), I know very well that he's probably the furthest thing from an angel when he gets mad. And boy will he get mad when he finds out the truth…

So I play along with Heero's line; we'll find a better time to inform Solo of our relationship. Probably with a letter addressed to him, so we won't have to see steam come out of his ears.

"Hi, I'm Duo. Solo's brother. I'm still in junior college, but I'll be going to a university next year."

"Damn right!" Solo interrupts. Pointing to me, he says to Heero, "He's usually got pretty good results, but I reckon he'd do even better with a bit of tutoring. Maybe you could offer your services? It'll give you two some time alone to know each other better…" He wags his eyebrows again suggestively before issuing his standard warning, "But nothing too much, I tell you."

Heero is completely caught off-guard. At least, that's what I gather from his wide eyes. Then again, I'd be too, if I didn't know my brother so well. When he's keeping me 'safe' from other guys and gals, he will do anything to deter the potentials. I think he'll fight them off with a toothpick if he had to. So it's almost a given that when he's trying to pair me up with someone, he'll do it with the same amount of enthusiasm and passion.

"Erm… sure. He can call me if he needs help."

"Exchange your numbers then! Go on!"

"We'll do it later, Solo," I reply. He'll probably see that we already have each other's numbers stored in our cell phones if we were to do as he says.

Immediately, his eyebrows shoot up to almost illegal levels. "What? There's going to be a date between you two later already?"

"Well, you want us to date, don't you?"

"True, true… Well, can't say anything against that. After all, I do believe that you two will make a wonderful couple. Cute and sweet definitely goes well with handsome and smart. Just remember one thing though: you have to be home by 9 pm. Heero, I'll hold you to that task."

He nods dumbly. All of a sudden, I'm tempted to just lean over and tap Heero's head to see if it will nod like one of those doggy ornaments I saw in a store some time ago. They were really cute, the way their heads nodded repeatedly when one little tap. Seeing Heero's amazement, I decide to give in to temptation.

As I'm leaning in, I suddenly feel a push on my back, like someone just had knocked into my chair. I feel myself propelling forwards, and that is not a good thing… because Heero is right smack in front of me. In just a second, his arms are wrapped around me (probably to stop me from falling) and my head is nestled in the crook of his neck, safe for the moment. Vaguely, I hear Solo yelling at someone to be more careful when she's walking around. But that feels kinda otherworldly; maybe I'm just too comfortable like this. We should do this more often, really.

Solo coughs a bit to grab our attention. I turn, still leaning against Heero. My brother's frowning already; apparently, he's not happy to see me get too close to Heero. I wonder if he'll burst a vein if I tell him I've kissed Heero on his cheeks before?

Probably.

So as comfortable as Heero's arms feel, I guess we'll have to keep our hands to ourselves for a while.

"You all right?" he asks, his warm breath caressing me.

Slowly extracting myself from his warmth, I look up to him and answer, "Yeah. Thanks."

By another stroke of well… luck, my lips meet the corner of his mouth. Apparently, Heero had been looking down to see if I'm really okay.

This time, Solo coughs much louder; I can almost believe that he's gonna cough his lungs out. Quickly, Heero and I spring apart before we get yelled at.

God, you love so much I can just cry whenever I see your benevolence showered upon me. But please, can you hold back the 'coincidence magnet' stamp just for a moment here? At least when Solo's around?

Suddenly, Heero's hand grabs mine again and gives it a squeeze. I look into his eyes. What is that look? Determination, love, hunger, and a bit of everything else. Oh Heero, don't tell me you're gonna do what I think you're gonna do.

"Solo?"

Oh yes he is.

"I think there's something you should know."

Good start, Heero. Go on! I give you my moral support! Go Heero, go! Great, now I see myself dressed up as a cheerleader and waving those bushy pom-poms. What's with my head today anyway? Is it true that people go a bit crazy when you're faced with a life-changing revelation?

"What?"

"Duo and I already know each other."

Solo narrows his eyes. "Before today?"

"Yes."

Heero, there's something called beating about the bush. There's also something known as tact. Do you have to be so honest?

"How?"

"We… met on a bus ride. And then I asked him out for dinner. So…" Heero trails off, leaving Solo to fill in the blanks himself. Not a good tactic, Heero.

"WHAT?"

See? I told you! Solo's been trying to keep me away from potential girl/boyfriends for so many years because he's too imaginative! Who knows what he filled into the blanks!

Anyway, that shout from Solo pretty much makes us the center of attention in the restaurant and everyone turns to stare at us. I will myself to melt into a puddle of goo, or whatever that will make my blush indiscernible. I quickly raise a hand and wave frantically at a waitress.

"MENU PLEASE!" It's not my best idea, but if it can get everyone to think we're just discussing what to eat and not the strange relationship and revelation unfolding here, I'll do it.

Heero thrusts one at me with a knowing and sheepish smile. In my haste to get rid of attention, I had forgotten that there're two very neatly leather-bound menus on the table.

If embarrassment had levels, I'd be at the top.

* * *

After the waitress flutters off (is there something in the uniform these girls wear?), Solo hisses at Heero, "So you mean you're the guy who's been calling Duo recently?" 

"…Yeah." Heero's answer is curt, but not because he's being rude or anything. I think he's nervous because he's grabbing my hand (still under the table, of course) rather tightly. I actually feel kinda guilty for this; it's like we're playing footsie without our legs. Before my brother, no less.

Solo's frown deepens. He's never liked things getting out of his control; it's a control freak thing so he's never let me understand. But one thing I do understand is that he's not happy about this. It's like… a volcano gathering enough magma underneath the ground, just waiting for the right moment to explode and spill all the lava so he can burn everything in his path. In this case, Heero.

I think I'd better say something.

"Solo, actually…"

But he cuts me off.

"So that's why I've always thought that voice on the phone sounds a little familiar," he sighs.

It's our turn to be shocked.

"You knew?" we chorus.

"No," Solo snaps. Like I said, he doesn't like to be out of control. "Maybe I'd guessed, but I never thought it would really be you."

"Well," I try to lighten the tension with a little chuckle, "everything's been one big coincidence, I guess."

Heero nods sagely, opting to not say anything lest he gets yelled at again. It's really not fun being in the line of Solo's questions, because he fires them so quickly you'll get the feeling you're standing in front of the firing squad. It's really freaky.

Then, just when I thought things are gonna be okay (okay as in no volcano eruptions), Solo gets an unholy gleam in his eyes. He turns to Heero and fixes him with a glare. Heero gulps.

"So that day when you were talking about a Mars bar, you were talking about Duo? I do recognize the colour combination you were talking about, you know."

Heero gulps harder, and I frown. Me? A Mars bar? How in the world do I qualify as a chocolate bar? Just a minute. Didn't I try to feed Heero a Mars bar some time ago (2)? …How sexy and erotic is that? And now I know why he stared at me then like I was crazy.

I pull my mind out of that memory just in time to see Solo look at Heero strangely. Crap, is he gonna blow up? If he does, there's not gonna be much of Heero to be picked up. My brother's temper doesn't flare up a lot, but when it does, he makes a tiger look like a kitten.

"I don't want to know what you're thinking of when you eat that."

Both of us blush hotly again.

"But Solo, it's no big deal, right? I mean, everything's okay! He's the one you picked out to be my date, and since we know already know each other you tried introducing us, this whole thing works!" I try.

"Duo, he thinks of you as a chocolate bar."

"And a delicious one at that."

I turn to my side. Did Heero just say that? I think he did, because he's blushing to the root of his hair, and Solo's glaring at him like he wants to mutilate something. Or maybe wants to rip something apart.

"Delicious?" Solo repeats, drawing out every syllable. He narrows his eyes, and that murderous gleam is surfacing again. "Do you mean to tell me that you've… had sex with my brother?"

"No!" Heero and I yell.

And that's the cue for a waitress to come traipsing with a dish of something. We pause in our discussions of the state of my virginity because for some reason, no one ever talks when the waitress comes over. That's the way it goes for every drama serial, movie, sit-com in the world, and since my life is strangely reminiscent of one right now, we have to adhere to the rules too.

After she leaves, we continue. Again, another rule. I don't particularly look forward to this, really, because that last statement is gonna take quite a bit of explaining. No, scratch that. Make that a hell of a lot of explaining. Not to mention I want to listen to what Heero has got to say too.

"What I mean is… erm… delicious in terms of looks," he blubbers. Then, it's like an idea suddenly hit him and he nods frantically. "Yeah, that's it. Deliciously beautiful."

Great save, Heero. Now let's see if my brother buys it. I turn to peer at Solo, who's wearing this 'yeah, right' expression on his face. Apparently, Heero will not make a good salesman.

But somehow, Solo doesn't kill Heero on the spot. But I think it severely increased the amount of KP Solo has for Heero. Erm, KP as in Kirai points, which is basically the degree of dislike. The higher the points, the more dislikable the person is. It's kinda like playing role-playing games, actually, where the characters have hit points (HP) and magic points (MP). That sort of thing. I've no idea where my brother came up with this idea, but he did and I think he keeps a mental scoreboard for this. Last I remember, that ditzy cheerleader who kept calling Solo at home got a KP of at least 900 (3).

I wonder what is Heero's score now. But judging from Solo's face, it can't be too good.

Suddenly, he turns to glare at me. His expression basically says, "Lie to me, and you're going to eat Howie's beef stew everyday for the rest of your life." What a bloodcurdling threat. Even if I don't die of indigestion, I'll die from horror.

"Did you two ever do anything that involved the study of human anatomy?"

"Of course not!" I hiss back in a harsh whisper. I cannot believe I'm having this conversation in public. If any of my friends ever get wind of this, I'll never live it down. Teasing is one thing, gloating is another. I think I'll hang myself if I see posters (highly possible if it's Mueller) and banners advertising my… erm, uncharted territories.

Solo turns his glare to Heero, who only manages a quick and somewhat vigorous shaking of his head.

"So what have you done? Groping? Kissing? Walking hand in hand?"

Our clasped hands under the table immediately spring apart with mutual agreement.

"None of the above!" Heero answers and I nod.

My brother sweeps the both of us with a suspicious glance, and then to our surprise, he grins.

"Good, good… Then I guess you can date my brother."

Wha? Did he just say what I think he did? He gave permission? He actually gave permission? How many times has that happened in my lifetime? I think that's the first time ever.

Apparently, Heero shares my confusion and astonishment.

"I can date Duo?"

"Yes, but you're on probation for three months. If after three months you're still living up to my expectations, you can continue dating my brother. But if you don't, you can kiss him sayonara forever. Figuratively speaking, of course. Try kissing him before I approve…" he trails off with an evil smirk and a crack of his knuckles.

Why am I getting the idea that Heero's applying for a job? Yeah right, Heero the soon-to-be office drone is in the room of the interview board, which consists of only Solo.

I hate Solo. Really, I do. God, did I do anything bad in my past life?

"And just before I forget, you can have this. It's a list of rules," Solo says, passing Heero a slip of paper.

Heero takes it tentatively and unfolds it. I lean in to peer at the rows of words, and suddenly, I feel like I have a sweatdrop above me. I think I should be looking for a hole to hide in now. And maybe dig another one to hide Solo's corpse. Who does he think Heero is? Moses reincarnated?

_The five commandments of dating my younger brother by Solo Maxwell: _

_Thou shalt not take him to discos, clubs or whatever establishment that serves alcohol like it's water. __Thou shalt not let him take any alcoholic drinks. Not even one sip. __Thou shalt not let him stay away from home after 9pm. He has to be safely escorted home by 9pm when out on dates. __Thou shalt not show him any pornography. That includes movies, magazines, books, photos etc. __Thou shalt not engage in any form of hanky panky with him. _

_Please read all rules above as many times as you need to get it into your mind because you might be asked to memorize them as and when I feel the need. Take note that I do not tolerate idiocy, so that means if you break any of the rules, you'll find yourself in deeper shit than you ever can imagine. _

But before I can yell at my brother, another waitress skips over with a couple of our orders. According to the laws of all drama serials, movies and sit-coms, we shut up immediately. Moral of the story: when you have something important you need to discuss, never do it in a busy restaurant because by some cosmic law, the waitresses will flounce on by at the exact moments when you want to say something.

When she leaves, Solo leaps right back into the fray without giving me a chance to shout my piece.

"I must say, though, I was pretty shocked that you think of my brother as chocolate. For that, it's an increase of 20 KP. And for dating my brother before approval, another 50 points. So right now, you have 70 KP. That's pretty good, since it's the lowest ever for someone hitting on Duo. And just for your information, if you get more than 1000 KP, you're off-field. Red card! No second chances!"

I roll my eyes.

"KP?" Heero asks.

"Kirai points."

"Oh."

He doesn't get it.

* * *

Soon, all of our orders are on the table and we dig in. But it's one of the most awkward dinners I've ever had I can hardly taste anything. I'm more likely to be a mechanical chewing and swallowing device at the moment. I peer at my brother from under my bangs. He brings smugness to a new level, I swear. And Heero is pretty much in the same situation as I am. Or maybe worse. Not that I can blame him.

Dinner drags on unbelievably long.

* * *

Solo orders dessert just when I thought dinner is over. Damn.

* * *

When the waiter comes over with our dessert (I think it's called red rubies (4)), Heero suddenly blanches with what I think is an 'oh, god' exclamation. 

I look up, but I don't see anything out of the ordinary. Okay, nothing out of the ordinary except for the weird, fork-like eyebrows on the blonde girl. Wait a second. Isn't that Dorothy? I look at Heero again, and try to follow his line of sight. It's not on the blonde girl though; it's on what's beside her.

Alright, who. Heero's staring at the girl beside Dorothy with something akin to fear. Why, I wonder? Is that girl gonna eat him up and swallow his bones? Judging from the look on her face, maybe that's what she wants.

The girl flits over to our table, and Dorothy just sort of… trails behind her with an apologetic smile. Then she spies me, and her smile turns into a crooked grin.

"Hi Heero! What a coincidence! Dorothy and I are just here for dessert because we heard so much about it; I didn't think we'd find you here!" she singsongs. "And you're having the thing I wanted! Why don't we share it?" And she promptly plops herself into a spare seat beside Heero.

I growl under my breath and look away.

"Hi Heero, Solo and Duo. What are you three doing here together?" Dorothy asks with amusement peppering her voice.

At that moment, the other girl finally seems to notice that Heero's not the only person at the table.

"Oh! Hi Solo, I didn't see you! And who's that beside you?"

Is it just me, or did Dorothy's grin suddenly widen? And the smirk on Solo's face seems to match hers. They're definitely scheming something; I just know it. Solo had that same smirk when he tricked me into eating the pizza he made.

He answers smoothly, "Oh, hi Relena, hi Dorothy. This is Duo, my younger brother. He's actually having dinner with his boyfriend, but I tagged along for the free food."

Oh, so she's called Relena. She's like an octopus, the way she touching Heero. An alarm blares out in my mind. Warning! Runaway octopus from the local sushi bar! If you find her, please call this number. Either that, or she's Doctor Octopus' sidekick. Now, just where is that red and blue clad Spider when you need him?

…Wait a minute. Backtrack, backtrack. What did Solo just tell her? Me, having dinner with my… boyfriend?

Heero's jaws drop, and if I weren't so shocked myself, I would laugh.

"Boyfriend? Oh, where is he?" Relena asks eagerly. I have a feeling that she won't be so eager when she discovers the truth.

Dorothy's already hiding her snicker behind a hand, and Solo's grin merely widens. He's like a cat ready to pounce on the canary.

"There, right beside you. Heero's dating my brother now. Simply marvelous, isn't it?"

A blush spreads across Heero's cheeks like a flower blossoming, and a genuine smile tugs at his lips. He looks just the way he did when I kissed him before I left his house the other day. I can't help but smile back at him, and he takes my hand under the table again.

Relena sputters, "Wha… wha… what?" Her eyes seem ready to bulge like those of a goldfish.

Solo doesn't answer but the Cheshire smile is still on his face. I highly doubt that it can be wiped off. Now the canary's in his mouth, and if he opens his mouth, feathers are gonna spew out. As it is, I think I can see a speck of yellow stuff in the corner of his lips.

Dorothy snickers quietly and cuts into the conversation expertly like she's done this a lot. "C'mon Lena, let's go. You wouldn't want to play gooseberry, now would you?" –she turns to my brother- "And you're Solo, isn't it? There's this really nice brownie they serve at the shop around the corner…"

Is she…? Yeah, I think she is. Dorothy can see the 'we want a peaceful dinner' neon sign on Heero and my forehead. Not to mention the 'alone' at the end of that sentence in bold and caps locked. Apparently, my brother sees it too, so he agrees wholeheartedly, if not a little gung-ho, pushing his chair away from the table.

Before I can protest (not that I really want to), Dorothy and Solo are dragging Relena out of the restaurant. I think the girl's too shocked to do anything but let herself be dragged along by the arm like some doll. You know, the type made of wood, has one broken leg and messy hair. And also the type bratty little girls like to flail around like weapons. Poor thing. Still, even if she weren't so shocked, I have a feeling she wouldn't stand a chance against the combined forces of Dorothy and Solo.

* * *

Finally, we're alone. Just me and Heero. Well, that and three bowls of dessert. Solo settled the bill before he left, luckily, otherwise I'd be spending the rest of the night doing the dishes in the kitchen. 

But since Solo had the sense to pay up first before abandoning me here, I may be spending the time laughing with Heero about the entire relationship between the three of us instead.

Yeah, that seems like a great idea right now.

Before I can laugh like some maniac though, an irritating ring tone disrupts my concentration. Whose cell phone is that? And what an unpleasant ditty this guy chose for his ring tone. It's much too shrill. Then again, whatever disturbs me is unpleasant. Alright, so I'm cranky. But I think I'm entitled to more of the crankiness that's allotted to every human being today.

Yet at the same time, I'm excited. My brother, the same guy who's starred as the terminator (he thinks it's pest control) in the story of my love life up to this point, has just gave me the go-ahead to date Heero! And the best thing? I like Heero. So it's not like one of those classical love stories where this dad and mum combo betroths their daughter to a rich guy, but the girl is in love with someone else. Wufei told me that they've got loads of stories with this kinda storyline in Chinese society; it's not always the same, but there's always someone betrothed and something broken. I think that's what he told me. Can't be sure, since I was too busy trying to fend Sally off. She was still pissed at me for trying to sic an attached guy onto her back then.

So I've still got it good in a way.

Hey, just whose cell phone is it? Why isn't he picking it up?

As though to answer my question, Heero's eyes suddenly widen and he digs into his pants pocket frantically. He fishes out a cell phone that's blaring that horrendous ring tone and he quickly answers it. I blink. Oh yeah, Heero just changed his cell phone a couple days ago; that's why I've got his new number in my cell now.

"Ah yes… I will, don't worry. Duo will be home by ten… Erm, ye, yes… Really? Oh, I see… Alright, bye."

He leaves his phone on the table this time, and I nearly whistle in appreciation. I remember seeing this one in an advertisement on the papers just the other day. It's pretty new, and has all the functions the R&D section of whatever phone company it is came up with stuffed inside. Nowadays, cell phones are not just cell phones anymore. They're cameras cum computers cum radio cum cell phone. Not to mention you can download images and ring tones from the Internet as well. It's simply amazing what people can do nowadays. We can store century's worth of information into a computer chip that's the size of my fingertip and they still cannot cure the common cold.

Amazing.

Who called Heero anyway? But then again, who else can it be? I sigh. It has to be him. No one else would set a curfew on my date. That control freak… Sometimes, I wonder what I would have done to him if he weren't my brother.

"Heero, was that Solo?"

He gives a weird grin that looks like a bomb had just been dropped on his head. Must be something Solo said.

"Yeah. He… well, usually it should be nine, but since he was with us for so long, he just wants me to bring you home by ten tonight. Otherwise it's 800… KP." He frowns at the unfamiliar word. "It's Kirai Points, right?"

"Right. Basically, just do what you've been doing and you won't get more points," I explain with a roll of my eyes. "And be thankful he's not giving you scores as a friend, because otherwise, you'd be in a really perilous situation. It's like you go to an arcade and they give you tickets for playing a game, and you use those tickets to exchange for toys and stuff. For Solo, 50 KP means you're horrible, 100 KP means you're really getting on his nerves, and 200 KP means he's gonna knock your lights out. He did that once, actually."

Maybe I should learn the art of conversation: say the right thing at the right time, and leave unsaid the wrong things at the tempting moment. Now Heero looks freaked out.

"Erm… he also said that it's your birthday this Sunday… You wanna come out with me? We could, you know, celebrate it together?"

I feel the beginnings of a genuine smile tug at my lips, the first in a couple of hours. "You think?"

"Yeah," he answers softly with a smile, and strangely enough, it feels as though his voice is the loudest thing in the entire place. "I think we could."

He slides his hand over mine again and gives it a light squeeze. I wonder what are we now? Are we officially dating? We've not said the words yet, but Solo's given us the green lights and in his mind, we were already dating before tonight. So I guess we're getting there now, any moment.

But now that I think back on everything we've done together and all the time we spent with each other, it's actually kind of like dating already. We just didn't say it, but the things we did already make us seem like a couple to everyone else. Sylvia and Marie are the most vocal advocates of that fact, I think, but the others do notice it as well. I don't think best friends would hold hands all the time or cuddle in front of a TV the way we did.

And now that Heero's met Solo as my boyfriend, I think it's official. After all, that is kinda like meeting future in-laws.

I wonder what Heero thinks about this though. He likes me; this much I know. But is Solo going to scare him off? They're classmates, for cripes sake, and they're gonna work together for projects. And now that I think of it, Heero is the one Solo's working with for the big business project. My brother's got lots of opportunities to scare him off.

Firming myself, I look up. I think I should ask him instead of imagining things up. My imagination is much too wild for reality.

However, when I'm about to say something, he looks me in the eyes and I'm awed. I've always been a great lover for eyes; they're certainly not the windows to one's soul like they claim, but it's where I see things I don't hear. And now I'm seeing what I wanted to see.

Adoration.

I smile at him, knowing I've got a blush tingeing my cheeks at the realization. Heero's smile makes my heart swell.

He'll tell me, soon enough. Maybe he'll finally take action this Sunday, when we go on our first official date. And I'll save the answer up for my birthday present. I just know it'll be the best I ever have.

Not to say this dinner date, the birthday present Solo set me up for, isn't a good one.

As much as I hate him for dabbling in my love life, I've finally got something to thank him for.

"Duo? Where do you want to go this Sunday?"

"Anywhere is fine," I answer.

Definitely, as long as I'm with you. Heero, will you be my boyfriend?

-tbc-

(1): That's me, when I was in a Vietnamese restaurant in Australia.It was still like drinking plain water though. /sweatdrops/

(2): Reference to part 17.

(3): The idea of Kirai points comes from the manga 'Full Moon Wo Sagashite'. It's extremely amusing.

(4): Red rubies are actually water chestnut covered in a red, rubbery substance, and it's served on top of crushed ice.

Last revised 2nd July 2005


	32. The Dinner part 2

Title: The Dinner part 2

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, R+1

Warnings: Heero POV, AU (our time)

Archive: Finally Fantasia (my homepage)

Amy Mizuno's Little Gundam Wing Page

Disclaimer: I was going to buy the ownership papers for the GW gang, but the dog next door ate my cheque book. While I try to calm myself so I won't go over and mutilate the damn thing, I'll have to say that I do not own GW in any way. I own this fic though. The song 'Wires', which I plucked a couple of lines from, is by Athletes. Don't own it either.

Note: This is Heero's take on the dinner event in Lemon Grass.

* * *

I adjusted my collar again. It was choking me and irritating me to no end. So why am I wearing the damn thing? Oh yeah, my too-cute-for-words-baby-sister decided to make herself my fashion consultant tonight and insisted I wear this. Plus the black slacks. Just because it's a blind date, she gets more excited than I do. 

_Oh Heero! You have to wear this to impress your date! It's a restaurant, isn't it? You can't turn up in tee shirt and jeans! And besides, Duo's joining you, isn't he? _

If she hadn't added that last comment in, I wouldn't even consider wearing... this gaudy thing they call clothes, which I so unfortunately am wearing now. I'm not a shirt and slacks person. Jeans are much better. And spandex. I bet when mom handed me my first pair of spandex shorts for a biking trip, she had never imagined I would develop a fetish for the material. I just like the ventilation it provides. But I'm going way off tangent here.

So why am I here? One word: Solo. He is so manipulative I can't even remember how he got me to agree to this blind date with his brother. I must admit, though, I am interested. After all, his brother's name is also Duo. I'm still wondering if he is the same Duo I've been semi-dating for the past few weeks.

A smile tugs at my lips. Just thinking of Duo makes my heart flutter nowadays. Beautiful, kind, compassionate Duo. To think he'll be here in another 20 minutes to be my boyfriend for the night. Maybe I can even sneak a few kisses on his cheek and get to hug him, and blame everything on getting the manipulative big brother figure a.k.a. Solo away from me. Apart from satisfying my hormonal urges (this I admit), I'm just trying to compensate for the past few days when we've both been so busy with our own lives that we've not been able to meet. And the last time I heard his voice was when I called him and asked him to be my pretend boyfriend.

When that slipped out of my mouth, I heard the voice inside my head screaming like he had just witnessed the perfect act of idiocy and the alarms flashing and crying wildly. I felt that way too, because when I called, my initial intention was to just listen to his voice. Before that, I had already reasoned with myself that I would not ask Duo to be my pretend boyfriend because of all the misunderstandings that could crop up later. How would, I thought to myself, Duo know when I'm really asking him to be my boyfriend as opposed to a pseudo-boyfriend?

But the request just spilled out of my lips like spare coins out of a hole in my wallet. I swear that was the classic moment of mouth not cooperating with brains. Or maybe my mouth's reaction time was just too fast.

I know for certain that Duo was not too happy with the turn of events either. He sounded kind of mad that night.

Heero Yuy... how is it that you always manage to get yourself into deeper shit than you can handle?

You're such a masochist, my little voice answers.

I think I have to agree. Damn.

...Did I just swear? My nervousness is doing strange things to my mind. Shit.

...Not again.

* * *

I turn down yet another offer to take my orders, and the waitress traipses off with a shrug. It's almost like she's saying, "Whatever, you stupid jerk who's taking up a table during our peak hours and not ordering, probably wouldn't even leave a tip, since you look so cheap to begin with." Or maybe I'm just imaging things. Peering at my wristwatch, I can't help but notice that I'm still 15 minutes early for the appointment. Oh well. 

Just when I'm about to ask for a cup of coffee, I see someone familiar walking up to me. It's like a sudden flash; kind of like the Chips More cookie commercial catchphrase: now you see it, now you don't. But it's the other way around in this case.

"Heero?" He blinks.

"Duo?"

He turns to the waitress leading him, thanking her and pulling out a seat himself. When he's settled down, he looks back at me with an almost casual air, but I can see the underlying ire. He's not happy with me tonight; looks like he doesn't like the idea of being my pretend date. Should I be happy about that? Maybe he's irked because he wants to be my real boyfriend.

Not that I don't want to either. Just seeing him tonight strengthens my resolve to really ask him out on a date as soon as possible. Duo is always beautiful, but I think he took the extra time to doll himself up tonight. I don't even know how to describe his beauty now. Inwardly, I'm almost swooning with appreciation. If you could see me, you'd see me melting like Frosty the snowman during summer. Ignore the fact that snow usually does not exist in said season.

"Hi, you're early," I comment with what I hope is a winsome smile. Zechs once told me that a smile can do wonders for a date: he had this girl before Noin who would practically squeal and jump into his arms whenever he smiled. But apparently, this tactic does not work on intelligent people. Either that or I'm doing a poor imitation of a winsome smile. I wonder how I look like now. At least I'm not scaring him away.

"You're early too."

I wince. He's being so curt. Not good.

He takes a look around. "Where's your friend?"

"He's not here yet. At least, I haven't seen him. But we're early, so I'm guessing that he won't be here until another..."–I glance at my watch- "ten minutes. But why don't you order something first if you're hungry? It's my treat," I say, hoping to placate him. From what I've noticed about Duo, he's a lot easier to talk to when there's good food around. The one exception was when Sally made us share a cup of coffee, but he looked so cute blushing like that so I can't really protest to that.

I just wish Sally would do that to us again. As pathetic as it sounds, I'd rather share an indirect kiss with Duo than do without one.

"It's okay, I can wait," he replies, but he's already browsing through the leather-bound menu.

I smile. Duo's attractive even when he doesn't notice it himself. It's like his charm just rolls off him in waves, and he's still innocently sitting there, biting his bottom lip in deep contemplation. Cute.

Suddenly, a group of diners sitting at the table beside ours yell, "As spicy as you can manage!" And that effectively knocks me out of my drooling fest. Good thing too, I would hate to explain why the tablecloth in front of me is completely soaked if someone were to ask. The interruption also reminds me of something really important. Where is Duo's elder brother? Wasn't he supposed to take Duo out for dinner?

I ask Duo, and he replies, "He is, and he chose this place. Strange huh? Oh, and he's busy in the men's room," –he looks up from the menu- "You know, we could have the weirdest situation here."

I couldn't help but blink. Somehow, Duo just said something that I've been thinking about quite a bit since I learned that Solo's younger brother is also called Duo. But seriously, what are the chances of the two Duos being one and the same? Practically nil, isn't it? I mean, how lucky –or unlucky- can I get? I decide to question luck.

"Why?"

"You see..."– he clears his throat- "My brother is giving me a treat tonight, but I have a feeling he's asking a friend of his to come over to see me as well. And you're pretty much in the same situation, aren't you?"

"We could do a double-date. You and me, and then the two mysterious others," I answer with a laugh, eliciting a light chuckle from Duo. It may sound like the world's biggest cliché, but when Duo's happy like that, there's some kind of magic in it that hypnotizes me. It's like the world's biggest spotlight is all focused on him and the light just bounces off his violet eyes, twinkling and shimmering like satin. It's amazing.

But of course, I'm not entitled to such lucky days when I can just sit there and admire his beauty because there comes my nightmare's harbinger. Still, the manners that have been instilled into my head much like a screw drilled forces me to call him. I wave a hand.

"Solo!"

"Wha?" Duo blurts in surprise, his head shooting up from the menu.

"Oh, it's my friend. He's here. It's strange though, I don't see his brother with him..." In fact, Solo had somehow managed to not have anyone walking near to him even when the restaurant looks really packed for the night. It's like everyone just parted like the Red Sea. If that really is the case though, I have a sneaking feeling that it's not because of divine intervention but because of the strange vibes Solo's giving off that sort of blares over his head a warning message to steer clear of his way.

At least, that's one conclusion I get when I see just how Duo is looking right now. Goldfish eyes, hanging jaws, slack hands and a drooping braid. Well, not that the braid was jumping around like a bunny earlier, but it's like... the braid just suddenly dropped dead. Then, half looking like he's going to fall over and half looking like he's going to scream, Duo turns around to see what's /really/ behind him. I can just hear the theme song for 'Jaws' playing in his head.

Oh yeah, with all the ruckus happening around Solo and the crowd, I can only see the top half of his head. It does feel like the scene in 'Jaws', where the shark was swimming towards its victims with only its fin showing above the surface of the water.

But I have a feeling that Duo's face is paler than the victim's. Maybe Solo wasn't just Jaws; he was Jaws' father, bigger in size and packs more punch with his tougher teeth. Heh, I can just imagine Solo walking to a shark and saying this with a straight face, "Jaws, I am your father." That would a classic moment.

And George Lucas and Steven Spielberg would have my head. Or maybe they would laugh their heads off.

...I think I should do something to alleviate the tension in Duo, who looks about ready to faint and sweating bullets. A joke, maybe? Right, the only reason he would laugh is the fact that I cracked a joke.

Before I can do anything, however, Solo's already at our table, pulling out a seat and making himself comfortable.

"Oh, I see you've found yourself a nice table, huh Duo?" Solo smirks. "And you're already getting acquainted with Heero!"

I blink.

"Wait a minute. You know Duo?" I ask, despite that voice inside telling me I shouldn't ask for the sake of my sanity.

"Of course. He's the younger brother I was telling you about," Solo replies nonchalantly with a shrug, like he's talking about the weather, about school (he's still slacking off in class and getting his stellar grades; lucky jerk), about a new television show... oh, he sounds like he's talking about anything except our messed up relationship, which I think can qualify quite nicely for a television script.

Suddenly, a song pops into my head like an earworm.

_You got wires, going in _

_You got wires, coming out of your skin _

Hirde bugged me into downloading that song for her just yesterday, and once I did, she wouldn't stop playing it. Now that I look back on it, it's just like a premonition. Solo looks like (and he has been acting like) the type of elder brother who's so protective of their younger sibling he'd kill any ardent pursuer who hasn't been approved. I know the signs all too well because my dear little sister had so kindly pointed it out to me when she first started to date Wufei.

I'm starting to get a taste of what Wufei must have felt like back then. I think I'll apologize the next time I see him.

So against my better judgment, I ask, "He's Duo/The/ Duo you were telling me about the other day?"

I think the voices (yes, plural) inside my head are having a party and doing the teapot song together. They're also happily having fun pulling on each others' pink tutus. They must be taking advantage of the temporary void left by my linguistic abilities, which had just eloped with my sense of logic. I wonder when will they come back, if ever. And is that my sanity fraternizing with confusion?

"Yea, of course. I seriously don't think there's any other people named Duo out there, is there?" Solo laughs.

I used to think this sort of mess can only happen on television. Thank you for proving me wrong and providing me with a brand new perspective on life.

"Seriously, I think our parents were just too lazy to think up of proper names... Well, at least they didn't call us 01 and 02. That would have been a riot!"

Can a single man protesting against me dating his younger brother be considered a riot?

Peering at Duo, I see an almost non-existent nervous grin on his face. We must have gotten the same train ticket for this train of thought headed for utter chaos. Allow me to try and unravel a bit of this confusion.

I have been semi-dating Duo Maxwell for the past few weeks, who also happens to have a previously faceless, protective-like-hell brother who interrogated me on the phone. On the other hand, I have this slacker and yet still nosey classmate in university who tricked me into coming to a blind-date with his younger brother. The over-protective brother is called Solo Maxwell. My nosey classmate is also called Solo Maxwell. And today, on this very fine day, I finally find out that they are one and the same.

So far, so good. Or maybe it should be: so far, so /not/ good.

Now, I'm sitting across the table from Solo, who is in nosey-classmate mode. Beside me is Duo, who has probably also just found out how confusing our relationship is. And once Solo finds out too, I have no doubt he will immediately shift into over-protective brother mode and possibly kick my butt.

"I would introduce you two, but it seems like you're already getting along! Still, just in case all you've been doing is casting moony eyes at each other," he wags a suggestive eyebrow – "this cute one here is my younger brother, Duo," – he points to me – "and this is Heero Yuy, my classmate."

Both of us nod dumbly, too shocked to say anything.

"Maybe you two should introduce yourselves?"

This should be when I wake up from this horrid nightmare, but I don't. My alarm clock should be going off right now, but it isn't. Hirde should be screaming in my ear for her breakfast, but she isn't.

Conclusion: This is not a nightmare. Shit.

How am I going to survive this? What should I say? Hi, I'm Heero Yuy, and I'm the guy who stalked your younger brother for seven days before finally getting to talk to him on a bus, and now I'm semi-dating him. Oh yea, and I asked him to be my pseudo-boyfriend tonight to get you off my case but apparently, it's not going to work anymore. My hobbies include looking at Duo, talking to Duo, taking Duo's pictures and thinking of ways to kiss him.

I blush at that last thought, and the urge to touch Duo bites me hard. Carefully, I let my fingers sneak under the table to clasp Duo's.

He blushes prettily (I make a mental note to take a picture of that sometime soon), glancing sideways at me with a small smile. Sigh, I want a picture of this too... Just as I'm about to give into my urges and grab my new cell phone with camera capabilities, he gives my hand a hard squeeze.

This is when the party inside my head goes 'poop!', and suddenly, I see loads of chibi Solos trying to handcuff chibi Heeros, who were previously doing the teapot song in their pink tutus. It's just a police raid in movies, except I'm not in Hollywood. I'm in a twisted rendition of life, where the 'antagonist' is calling all the shots and probably has the director and scriptwriters at his beck and call. Yeah, I can just see it. Solo Maxwell has his own first-class trailer, his own changing room, his own personal attendant and his own scriptwriter.

This is definitely bad news with a capital B.

So, instead of breaking the news to Solo, who will probably break /my/ neck, I opt to reintroduce myself to Duo, After all, as the adage goes, join 'em if you can't beat 'em.

"Hello, Duo. I'm Heero Yuy."

Okay, Duo is looking kinda mad.

"Erm, I'm your brother's classmate and partner for a business project... Erm... anything else you want to know?" I ask nervously.

Okay, he looks ready to spit fire now.

Just when I'm thinking whether death by roasting (courtesy of Duo) or even death by boxing(courtesy of Solo) is better and less painful, Duo solves that dilemma for me by shaking my hand.

"Hi, I'm Duo. Solo's brother. I'm still in junior college, but I'll be going to a university next year."

"Damn right!" Solo interrupts. Pointing to Duo, he adds, "He's usually got pretty good results, but I reckon he'd do even better with a bit of tuition. Maybe you could offer your services? It'll give you two some time alone to know each other better..." He leers suggestively before warning me, "But nothing too much, I tell you."

Are you sure you want to leave your brother with me? Alone? That would be like the shepherd sending one of his sheep to a wolf and asking the wolf to take good care of the sheep. Cute little herbivorous Duo-sheep and big, hungry (this can be substituted with 'lustful', I admit) carnivorous Heero-wolf. Not a good combination. And if I'm not a wolf, I would be the guy with the pair of shears, always ready and eager to shear Duo-sheep's coat off. Except that I don't do it for the sake of getting his wool, if you know what I mean.

When I notice Solo still waiting for an answer, I quickly reply, "Erm... sure. He can call me if he needs help." Oh, the need to suppress my hormones aside, at least tutoring Duo is better than tutoring Hirde.

"Exchange your numbers then! Go on!"

"We'll do it later, Solo," Duo says, which I think is a smart move because we both have each other's numbers already. Solo would flip if he sees that.

Immediately, Solo raises an eyebrow. "What? There's going to be a date between you two later already?"

"Well, you want us to date, don't you?"

"True, true... Well, can't say anything against that. After all, I do believe that you two will make a wonderful couple. Cute and sweet definitely goes well with handsome and smart. Just remember one thing though: you have to be home by 9 pm. Heero, I'll hold you to that task."

I nod silently, not knowing what to say. Well, I can't possibly grab Solo's hands and shed tears of gratitude, telling him that I will take very good care of Duo and thank him for entrusting Duo to me, now can I? No matter how screwed up this script is, I'm not starring in one of those anime Hirde always watches, where the characters turn chibi all of a sudden and their eyes become more efficient than the taps in my house.

Even if I /am/ starring in an anime, which would make all those strange actions and chibification possible, can anyone imagine me, Heero Yuy, doing any of those things? Zechs and Quatre would laugh their heads off, capture it on tape, and blackmail me for the next decade. Hirde would freak out, and probably try to call those 'X-Files' people telling them an alien has abducted her brother. No matter how many times I try to tell her that 'X-Files' is a television program, she just doesn't believe me.

But Duo now... I know he'll look utterly cute in chibi form. Just like a plush toy. Suppressing the urge to grin, I steal a glance at Duo, already seeing him in chibi form in my mind's eye.

Just then, a waitress comes on by and knocks into Duo. While she carries on her merry way and doing her balancing act, Duo lets out a yelp and my hands instinctively reach out for him as he falls. And towards me, of all directions. Yes Duo, come to daddy! He falls right into my arms, with his head nestled in the crook of my neck. Score! Perfect fall! 10 out of 10!

I can just smell the lavender scent of Duo's hair... Sigh. Smells so good. Just let me get one more whiff of it. Perfect.

Suddenly, someone coughs and we turn to see Solo glowering at us. Or more specifically, me. Okay, better stop the intoxication and get prepared for the hangover, which I have little doubt the protective brother (trademarked) will give me now.

"You all right?" I ask, looking down at Duo who's still leaning into my chest.

I think Duo answered me, but I'm not too sure what he said, because all I can feel is a kiss on my... lips. Fine, it's the corner, but surely that qualifies as a kiss on the lips, right? Right.

Before my inner voice can argue, Solo's coughing puts me right back to reality instead of the instant replay that seems to be on loop. Biting back the offer of a glass of water (it's reflexes; Hirde chokes on her food a /lot/ because she can't seem to understand food goes down her windpipe when she talks too much during meals), I spring away from Duo.

As Solo's coughing eases, epiphany stomps on me with her giant elephant feet, beating the message into me quite effectively: Either Duo and I come clean with Solo, or we'll be jumping apart like frogs every time he's around.

Grabbing Duo's hand, I steel myself for the blow that's going to come in a minute.

"Solo? I think there's something you should know."

I think I can hear Duo cheering me on at the sidelines. Not that he's doing it aloud, of course.

"What?" Solo asks without a trace of suspicion.

"Duo and I already know each other."

He narrows his eyes. "Before today?"

"Yes."

He narrows his eyes even more.

"How?"

"We... met on a bus ride. And then I asked him out for dinner. So..." I stop right there, unsure of where's the safety stop point supposed to be. But at least I know I can't tell him all the wet dreams I have of his younger brother. I'm not /that/ stupid.

The next few seconds of my life flies by amazingly fast. I can only remember Solo's loud shriek of "WHAT?" that vaguely reminds me of something ripped out of a horror movie (or was that a family slash scandalous drama?) and Duo's attempt to keep the scandal under covers and my own graceful save by shoving a menu into Duo's hands.

Thank you God, for giving me enough brain cells left after this horrifying encounter to respond.

-----

After the waitress flutters off after taking our orders, Solo narrows his eyes again so quickly I'm almost made to believe that he had not just smiled and talked to the girl oh-so-civilly. He hisses, "So you mean you're the guy who's been calling Duo recently?"

"...Yeah." That's all my mind can say right now. But seriously, can anyone blame me?

Solo frowns deeper, and all sorts of alarm start to flare up in my head. I can just see what the restaurant will look like ten minutes later: wreckage, wreckage, and more wreckage. The place is in utter chaos, with overturned tables and chairs strewn everywhere, broken glasses littering the ground and unconscious people lying in all sorts of places (this can go from half a countertop, the ground, the tables etc). Witnesses rounded up will claim to have seen a guy going Dragon Ball on another guy, for lack of a better description because everything just happened much too quickly.

"I'm serious, police officer! This guy just turned Super-Saiyan and a beam of light shot out of his hands!"

"Yea! I saw it too!"

"Where's the Super-Saiyan? I'm his biggest fan!"

And the next day, the papers will run a headline that goes: 'Guy killed by boyfriend's over-protective brother who went ballistic on him'. That, or 'Anime fan imitates favourite character in restaurant and kills evil monster that wanted to put his dirty paws on his precious little brother'.

But that is if they manage to find my body in the first place.

Duo decides to cut in and hopefully, save my neck.

"Solo, actually..."

But Solo cuts him off.

"So that's why I've always thought that voice on the phone sounds a little familiar," he sighs.

I gasp.

"You knew?" Duo and I chorus.

"No," Solo snaps like a vicious Venus flytrap. "Maybe I'd guessed, but I never thought it would really be you."

"Well, everything's been one big coincidence, I guess," Duo says with a sheepish laugh.

I think I just nodded. Or my head is just moving by itself. Forgive me if I'm not making sense anymore. How can I, when Solo is glaring at me in the way that makes all my alarms go crazy?

"So that day when you were talking about a Mars bar, you were talking about Duo? I do recognize the colour combination you were talking about, you know."

Crap. Crap! Ultimate crap! Is he going to kill me now?

He gives me another look.

"I don't want to know what you're thinking of when you eat that."

I blush. Honestly, I'm not sure what I'm thinking of when I eat Mars chocolate either. It's just sensory overload. I hear Duo's chocolate-y voice, I smell Duo's chocolate-y scent, I feel Duo's chocolate-y touch, I see Duo's chocolate-y sensuality and I taste Duo's chocolate-y... okay, enough. Stop, brain, stop!

Duo tries to placate his brother again.

"But Solo, it's no big deal, right? I mean, everything's okay! He's the one you picked out to be my date, and since we know already know each other you tried introducing us, this whole thing works!"

Solo turns exasperated eyes to his brother.

"Duo, he thinks of you as a chocolate bar."

And a delicious one at that, my mind supplies gleefully, and I'll never get tired of it.

But I suppose I may have gotten tired of living because I think I just said that out loud. Why else would Solo be shooting his glare of doom (trademarked) at me? Somebody please just kill me already.

"Delicious?" Solo repeats, drawing out every syllable. He narrows his eyes, and that murderous gleam is surfacing again. "Do you mean to tell me that you've... had sex with my brother?"

"No!" Duo and I yell.

At that moment, a waitress comes traipsing with our orders, and I'm saved temporarily. At least she's giving me a few seconds to come up with a respond that will hopefully save my life and prevent mutilation.

"What I mean is... erm... delicious in terms of looks," I'm blubbering, and I know it. Who knew that waitress could do her stuff so friggin' fast? "Yeah, that's it. Deliciously beautiful."

Hirde's always told me that I couldn't lie to save my life. I used to think it was just another of those things she likes to taunt me about for the fun of it, but right now, I'm starting to think she's right about it. And I can just see her making a fun at me and gloat, "I told you so!" Thank goodness she's not here to see Solo's expression.

But suddenly, he turns away from me to glare at Duo, and Duo is visibly shaken. I wonder if there's some kind of unspoken threat going on there...

"Did you two ever do anything that involved the study of human anatomy?"

I blush, and shake off the image of a half-naked Duo, silk sheets and a lot of chocolate sauce that I somehow knew came from Mars bars. As I succeed in that, another image strikes me: I'm dressed in a lab coat, and walking around my subject, I scribble some quick notes onto my clipboard. Duo, my subject, is obediently waiting for me to finish... poking around.

Argh! Stop thinking of that, Heero Yuy! Stop it!

A hiss of 'Of course not!' from Duo brings me back to reality, just in time for me to catch Solo's glare again.

"So what have you done? Groping? Kissing? Walking hand in hand?"

Quickly, I let go of Duo's hand under the table and his hand jumps away.

"None of the above!" I answer so quickly it's almost a dead giveaway.

But Solo doesn't seem to catch that. Instead, he sweeps us both with a suspicious glance, and all of a sudden, he grins.

"Good, good... Then I guess you can date my brother."

Oh, I can? That's good. So now I don't have to worry about being caught when I'm out with Duo, and we can go to all those quiet places and make out a bit and all that. Yeah, and I can feed Duo chocolate without having to worry about it being too erotic. I don't have to worry about sticking Duo's pictures all over my room. And I can date Duo! That's good. Really good.

...wait a second. Backtrack, backtrack! Did Solo just say when I thought he said?

"I can date Duo?"

Solo grins.

"Yes, but you're on probation for three months. If you're still living up to my expectations after three months, then you can continue dating my brother. But if you don't, you can kiss him sayonara forever. Figuratively speaking, of course. Try kissing him before I approve..." he trails off with an evil smirk and a crack of his knuckles.

"And just before I forget, you can have this. It's a list of rules."

I take the slip of paper from his hands warily, half-afraid that it's been booby-trapped and a snake or something will jump out at me. Or maybe this is Solo's idea of a joke, and the only word written in it is 'Gotcha!' Today is nowhere close to Aprils' Fools right?

Duo leans over, and tentatively, I unfold the paper. Upon reading the so-called rules, I almost fall over. Getting Solo to allow me to date Duo is like a load off my shoulders, but now... I think that load went straight down and crushed my toes.

_The five commandments of dating my younger brother by Solo Maxwell: _

_1) Thou shalt not take him to discos, clubs or whatever establishment that serves alcohol like it's water. _

_2) Thou shalt not let him take any alcoholic drinks. Not even one sip. _

_3) Thou shalt not let him stay away from home after 9pm. He has to be safely escorted home by 9pm when out on dates. _

_4) Thou shalt not show him any pornography. That includes movies, magazines, books, photos etc. _

_5) Thou shalt not engage in any form of hanky panky with him. _

_Please read all rules above as many times as you need to get it into your mind because you might be asked to memorize them as and when I feel the need. Take note that I do not tolerate idiocy, so that means if you break any of the rules, you'll find yourself in deeper shit than you ever can imagine. _

But upon a second glance, I find myself accepting the rules, even though the format of the rules is a little... strange. Those are the same things I warned Wufei about, after all. Heh, did this come from some international guidebook for older siblings?

But seriously, Solo doesn't have to worry. I don't like clubbing, I don't like alcohol (though it is a little tempting to find out just how accurate drama serials are; if they're right, I'll probably wake up to Duo's hair in the morning), and I can handle curfews. Pornography shouldn't really be a big problem either, but I'd need to discuss the definition of hanky panky with Solo.

On the other hand, Duo looks like he's going to scream, faint, shriek, black out, or a combination of all four. So what if they are repetitive? But before he can, another waitress skips over with a couple of our orders and he quiets down.

When she leaves, Solo continues the conversation as if it had never been stopped.

"I must say, though, I was pretty shocked that you think of my brother as chocolate. For that, it's an increase of 20 KP. And for dating my brother before approval, another 50 points. So right now, you have 70 KP. That's pretty good, since it's the lowest ever for someone hitting on Duo. And just for your information, if you get more than 1000 KP, you're off-field. Red card! No second chances!"

I blink.

"KP?"

"Kirai points."

I cock my head.

"Oh."

But I don't get it.

-----

My head keeps flashing blank throughout dinner, and I'm sure a hamster would have a better idea of what he's eating than I do now.

Just what is going to happen? What is my relationship with Duo going to be like? Like now, with Solo shooting subtle glares and grinning smugly at me alternately? And with Duo trying very hard to notice neither?

And just what is KP? Kirai points? Hate points? I have points for that? What in the world-?

And just when did we order dessert? Is the thing supposed to be this red? Or did I puke blood into it without me noticing?

...That's disgusting, but not as disgusting as the person coming towards me. Shit! How did Relena find me? I resist the urge to search my clothes for any traces of a tracking device. Or maybe she just has some sort of radar with me as her only target. Heh, I can just see it: as a dot suddenly appears on the radar screen, the navigator (who looks just like Relena) screams, "Heero Yuy spotted! One o' clock position, three kilometers away!" And then the captain (who also looks just like Relena) answers, "People, turn this submarine 30 degrees to the right and full speed ahead!" At that, everyone in the deck (all of whom looks just like Relena) answers, "Yes captain!"

Nooooo... Dorothy, why aren't you helping? Don't just give me that apologetic smile. Do something! No, don't let Relena get close to me! Not now! Not in front of Duo!

"Hi Heero! What a coincidence! Dorothy and I are just here for dessert because we heard so much about it; I didn't think we'd find you here!" she singsongs. "And you're having the thing I wanted! Why don't we share it?" And she promptly slides into the empty seat beside mine.

Somebody save me.

"Hi Heero, Solo and Duo. What are you three doing here together?" Dorothy asks, her amusement clear in her voice.

I think it's only now that Relena notices I'm not eating alone.

"Oh! Hi Solo, I didn't see you! And who's that beside you?"

I tense. This is the moment of truth! What will Solo say? Will he acknowledge me and Duo together? Or will he throw me to the Relena sharks and tell her that I'm just sharing their table? Hesitantly, I turn.

...He's grinning. Very widely, in fact.

In a level of coolness so cool penguins will adore, he answers, "Oh, hi Relena, hi Dorothy. This is Duo, my younger brother. He's actually having dinner with his boyfriend, but I tagged along for the free food."

I feel my jaws drop, but I could care less. Solo. Acknowledged. Me! He acknowledged me! He introduced me as Duo's boyfriend! Not Relena bait! Yes yes yes! I can just kiss him! At this moment, I feel like I've just been awarded from big award and I'm standing on the podium thanking my fans and drowning in their screams of adoration and accolade. The falling streamers and fireworks are a bedazzling work of art. But what is truly enchanting is the man of my dreams handing me a bouquet of flowers and kissing me on the cheeks to congratulate me. Duo, kiss me on my lips?

But before Daydream-Duo's lips can connect with mine, a shrill voice breaks me out of my trance. Oh, it's Relena. Argh.

"Boyfriend? Oh, where is he?"

Dorothy's snickering behind her hand, and Solo's grinning so wide I think his muscles are protesting.

"There, right beside you. Heero's dating my brother now. Simply marvelous, isn't it?"

Oh my god! Solo's serious! Duo-chan, this is where the screen turns bright and sparkly, which means it's time for us to go frolic in a field of flowers hand in hand and celebrate with our picnic basket!

But as that image continues playing in my head, Relena's not having such a good time. In fact, she's forgotten all about acting lady-like. I swear that gaping mouth of hers is the biggest I've seen yet. And her eyes... no amount of mascara and eye-opening shades of eye shadow can ever achieve the size of her eyes now. They are so big they can rival a goldfish's. Or they might even make a goldfish jealous.

"Wha... wha... what?"

Solo just continues to grin widely.

Duo just continues to try and look unbothered, but I can see the blush on his cheeks.

Dorothy is the only one to do something. After she stopped snickering, that is.

"C'mon Lena, let's go. You wouldn't want to play gooseberry, now would you?" –she turns to Solo- "And you're Solo, isn't it? There's this really nice brownie they serve at the shop around the corner..."

She's such a good friend. Of mine, that is; not Relena's. I am going to thank her tomorrow and shake her hands so much she'll grumble about them aching for days. And she can take the break and eat the chocolates I'm going to buy her.

"Oh, you mean /that/ shop? I've been drooling after the brownies since like... a month ago! Everyone says it's the best brownies ever!" Solo answers with a knowing wink. "Let's go there now and leave the lovebirds to themselves then. Come with us, Relena!"

And with that, Dorothy and Solo drag Relena out of the restaurant. Relena doesn't protest, but I think it's because she's in too much of a shock to react now. She just continues to sputter in a variety of 'huh?', 'what?' and 'eh?' as she gets pulled along, Dorothy and Solo pulling one arm each.

-----

Finally, we're alone. Just me and Duo, who still has that bewildered and cute expression on his face. I could just lean in to kiss him for being so cute.

But before I can do that, a shrill cry rings somewhere in my pants. Belatedly, I recognized it as my new cell phone's ring tone. It's a really horrible one, and I've just been effectively reminded that I need to change it. Apparently, Duo feels the same way, if that disgusted expression he's wearing right now is any indication.

Quickly, I flip it open.

"Hello?"

"Hi Heero!"

To my utter surprise, it's Solo. How in the world did he manage to get my new number? I haven't even given it to Duo yet!

"Oh, in case you're wondering why I have your number, I just have my ways. And you should get used to it, since I think I'm entitled to knowing you well because you're dating Duo."

Is it just me, or does he sound increasingly sinister? I wouldn't be surprised if he starts to cackle insanely like one of those evil guys in movies.

"Nah, just kidding! I got it from Dorothy," he laughs.

Phew!

"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you to take care of Duo. And since this is your first date and only because I was with you guys for so long, you only need to take Duo home by ten. Usually, it's supposed to be nine, but I'm feeling generous today."

"Ah yes... I will, don't worry. Duo will be home by ten..."

"No hanky panky!"

"Erm, ye, yes..."

"And by the way, Duo's birthday is this coming Sunday. Just thought you'd like to know," he says knowingly, and I can feel him smirking through the phone.

"Really? Oh, I see..." My god, Duo's birthday is this Sunday? Am I going to get his birthday present on time? What am I going to get him? Where am I going to take him to? What are we going to do? I panic for a moment until I realize that I need to ask Duo if he's willing to spend his birthday with me before I can start making any plans.

"Well, that's all, I guess. Remember to take Duo home by ten, or it will be 800 KP! Get that? Okay, bye!"

"Alright, bye," I reply, and hang up.

Duo gives me a suspicious look before asking, "Heero, was that Solo?"

"Yeah. He... well, usually it should be nine, but since he was with us for so long, he just wants me to bring you home by ten tonight. Otherwise it's 800... KP," I say, creasing my brows at that strange word. Just what is that thing? "It's Kirai Points, right?"

Duo nods.

"Right. Basically, just do what you've been doing and you won't get more points. And be thankful he's not giving you scores as a friend, because otherwise, you'd be in a really perilous situation. It's like you go to an arcade and they give you tickets for playing a game, and you use those tickets to exchange for toys and stuff. For Solo, 50 KP means you're horrible, 100 KP means you're really getting on his nerves, and 200 KP means he's gonna knock your lights out. He did that once, actually."

Knock my lights out? Solo will really punch me? He's... really aggressive. And I thought I was bad. I think if Hirde ever finds out about Solo's protective tendencies, she will think I'm a saint. I mean, although I did freak Wufei out when I told him that if he ever bullied my sister, I would wring his neck dry of all body juices and hang him with pegs on our clothesline like a piece of garment, I didn't really mean it. Really!

I decide it's safer to talk about something else.

"Erm... he also said that it's your birthday this Sunday... You wanna come out with me? We can, you know, celebrate it together?"

Duo starts to smile, and it's a real one; not one of those perfected to be polite, but a real, sweet one. I think I've just struck lottery after a string of bad luck.

"You think?" he asks softly, a light blush tingeing his cheeks.

"Yeah," -I smile, shrugging- "I think we can."

I slide my hand over his again and give it a light squeeze. Now, he's not just Duo anymore. He's my boyfriend, the one I'm going to pamper and love. Of course, I haven't asked him yet, but with Solo's permission, I think there isn't going to be any problems.

And all my friends agree that Duo and I are dating, and have been for the past few months. So now it's just a matter of me outright asking him. I'm going to go home, tidy up my confession list and practice in front of my mirror. After a few test-runs and rehearsals, I think I'll be ready to really confess to Duo.

Duo smiles again.

"Duo? So where do you want to go this Sunday?"

"Anywhere is fine," he answers.

"Right, I'll arrange everything. You just wait for Sunday," I say, resisting the urge to press my lips against his hands. It's alright now; it doesn't matter. I'll get his kiss on Sunday.

Everything will be perfect.

-tbc-

**Author's Note**: Aa... So this chapter has been delayed for 9 months. And I know that I have no excuses for the lateness except for my laziness... ;; Gomen, everyone! Right now, I'm starting to get busy again (with school about to start) and I'm feeling sick again (I seem to get sick on schedule), so I have no idea when the next part will come out, but I'll try to get it out sooner.

However, Seventh Heaven will probably be my last GW fic in a very long time, since I'm kinda doing fandom hopping lately. I've already hopped to Yu-gi-oh fandom, Naruto fandom (I'm thinking of writing something for this one) and most recently, Kingdom Hearts. So well...

But I WILL continue with Seventh Heaven. Rest assured in that. I might just very kinda slow with the chapters, but I will continue it.

Again, sorry for the very long wait. I hope everyone still remembers this fic! TT

BTW, did anyone notice that I've revised all the previous chapters? If you haven't, there's really no need to reread the fic. The changes I've made include grammar, punctuation, character portrayal and such, but there's nothing really big.


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